Shadow of a Man
by Grahdens
Summary: Noxus' conquest for world domination waits for no one. Ionia is no exception. Only the legendary ninja and Wuju masters stand between annihilation and the First Lands. Can Zed overcome the shadows of his past and protect his home land before it's too late? Or will he succumb to his demons and become a shadow of a man? (Rated M for future content) (Cover image OrekiGenya deviantart)
1. Prologue and Chapter One

_Prologue_

Master Kusho sat alone in his study, seated in traditional meditative form.

The blood red Ionian sun had set behind the the horizon and twilight splashed the sky with a deep blue hue with little white freckles. Master Kusho loved to meditate at this hour. The calm night breeze was just arriving from the North and it was not too bright as to distract him. This, Master Kusho thought, was the best time to meditate upon _Watching the Stars_. _Pruning the Tree_ and _Coursing the Sun_ were meditations of intense focus, but not _Watching the Stars_.

A sudden knock at the sliding door brought the peace of his meditation to and end. With a sigh, the Eye of Twilight stood slowly and shuffled to the door.

"What is it Kennen? You know better than to disturb a fellow acolyte during meditation hours."

Kennen blinked in surprise. "Master Kusho, how did you know it was me? I remembered to dampen the sound of my footsteps, just like you taught me."

A deep chuckle came from behind the paper thin door. Master Kusho could not help but be fond of the Yordle. He was one of his youngest and brightest pupils.

"Kennen, indeed you have dampened your footsteps, but you have forgotten to mask your _chi_. With one as bright as yours, it was not hard to tell that it was you, my son."

Master Kusho slid the door open and patted Kennen on the head.

"Now what is it you want to tell me? It must be of some urgency for you to come and disturb my meditation."

Kennen nodded. "Master Kusho, there is something you must see! Come with me."

Kennen took his master's hand and led him through the various hallways of the Kinkou monastery. When they approached the entrance of the monastery, Master Kusho finally managed to stop the energetic pull of the Yordle.

"Kennen, what's with the rush? Even for you, this is a little much."

Kennen looked up into his master's eyes and frowned. "Master Kusho, there was a knock on the monastery gates and…" His voice trailed off and he pointed at the subject matter.

Master Kusho opened the door and brisk fall air greeted them both with a gust of wind blowing leaves into the door. Kennen led him through the courtyard to the monastery gate.

Master Kusho raised his hand to open the gate. He already knew what Kennen was so agitated about.

With a great shudder, the gate glowed a light shade of purple and rumbled apart. The old but keen eyes looked down at the ragged bundle of cloth at his feet. Kennen clutched his robe and hid behind his legs.

"M-master. It's alive!" Master Kusho bent down and picked the bundle up.

"Kennen, I must apologize for neglecting to tell you of another duty that we must uphold at the monastery. While this is a rare occurrence, orphans have been delivered to our doorsteps before. Whatever troubles the parents of this child or if they are unable to take care of them somehow, we as Kinkou must show compassion, not only to spare a life from almost certain death in the Ionian mountains, but to protect the balance that we hold to such high regard. After all, someone climbed these treacherous mountains to get her in the first place. Let us honor their tenacity."

Kennen nodded but he was still hiding behind his master's robe. Master Kusho smiled gently and brought the bundle down to Kennen. "Tell me young disciple, what do you see?"

Kennen peered timidly at the bundle and was surprised to see a face looking back at him. "Master… this baby, he has white hair!"

Master Kusho frowned and upon closer inspection, found that Kennen was right. The baby opened his eyes for the first time to the great master. "And red eyes! What does this mean Master?"

Master Kusho furrowed his brow in thought. Hair as white as freshly fallen snow and eyes the color of the Blood Moon. "Kennen, go back inside. It is getting late. You must continue your meditations. I will take care of this, don't worry."

His master's smile calmed Kennen. "Yes Master!" he remarked with renewed vigor. As Kennen scurried through the courtyard, the Eye of Twilight waited until his disciple was out of sight. His frown returned and he looked back at the baby. _Blood red eyes and paper-white hair… when have I seen this before?_ The master was lost in thought as the tall wooden gates slid shut with a groan.

 _~ A few days later ~_

"All of my fellow Kinkou, I have gathered you here for a very special occasion. A month ago, my son was born during the hour of twilight. May the time of his birth be a blessing to us all!"

A cheer went around the large group of acolytes gathered in the monastery courtyard.

"Long live the master's son!"

"May he bring balance to the order!"

"The Kinkou is blessed to be in the presence of a twilight child!"

Kusho beamed with pride as he held his child up to the noon sun. "His name shall be… Shen, his path shall be straight and true!"

Cheers erupted from the onlookers. The naming ceremony was always a time when moods were high and duties were few.

Kusho gently passed his child on to his wife. "Shen is a fine name for a baby so strong dear," he whispered into her ear. Kusho knelt and picked up the small bundle at his feet. "Now, you all know that a few days ago, another life was brought to the monastery gates. He is not of native descent, but you will treat him as we treat each other. He is now a member of the Kinkou Order."

The great master lifted the baby from the bundle of sheets and raised him to the sun. Some of the acolytes gasped in excited fascination with the strange physical appearance of the child.

"He really does have white hair!"

"Why is his hair only white on his head?"

"What a strange looking child…"

Kusho looked up at the baby and smiled. "From this day forth, this baby will be raised as my own. His name shall be… Zed! The pursuit of virtues will be his path!"

Another cheer rippled through the crowd of people. This was a first for the monastery. The only time when two names were given at a naming ceremony was when twins were born. Kusho stood next to his wife as curious members of the Kinkou got closer to see the new members of their order. Shen looked about curiously and smiled at the others, while Zed merely looked up at the sky.

 _Chapter 1_

 _Nine years… nine long years since the despicable man known as the Golden Demon was brought to justice. Khada Jhin… very few know this name, let alone the face behind the gruesome murders committed by his hand. I still regret sparing him to this day. Kusho was a fool…_

Zed sat perfectly still atop his throne, shrouded in darkness and thoughts he usually leaves in the back of his mind. In this state of hyper awareness, Zed could hear nearly everything in the former Kinkou monastery, even the _living shadows_ that his disciples created.

 _Kusho… Shen… I wonder how things would have gone if I hadn't..._

Zed's brow furrowed as the unexpected rush of emotions disturbed the delicate concentration. His shroud of shadows collapsed and he let out a sigh of exasperation.

 _Why? Why are these thoughts plaguing me after all these years?_

"Master, you seem to be troubled," said a voice directly in front of Zed.

Only Zed's lightning fast reflexes allowed him to not startle.

"Boy, you know better than to disturb your master while he is meditating…" he growled.

Kayn bowed with what Zed thought was a little to much flare. "Oh Master of Shadows, forgive me, I was merely worried why you had such a…" He paused for emphasis. "... disturbed look on your face while you were meditating."

Zed grunted and the bottom half of his mask materialized, covering most of the scar than ran down the side of his face. "Mind your own business pupil, don't you have studying to do?"

Kayn shrugged. "Finished. Yesterday. Didn't I tell you this already?"

Zed stood up from his throne and eyed Kayn suspiciously. "Really? Even the steps to mastering your _living shadow_?"

Despite his master's doubtful look, Kayn knew that Zed believed him. In fact, he had mastered the shadow technique, albeit in his own way, nearly a year ago. "Master, I am ready to learn your technique… You know the one."

Zed shook his head. "Shieda, you are too young and reckless to even be thinking about such a technique, especially with that Darkin. He will take over your mind if you let your defenses down. He's been trying for years now, and you know it."

"But Zed, I have mastered every technique you have shown me, studied every method in those stupid texts, and pored over every scroll given to me. I even train with those impotent, sorry excuses for acolytes every day! I completed it all much faster than they ever could! You know it Zed. I have potential to overcome even you!"

Zed's patience had grown dangerously thin by this point. "I took you in because I saw potential in you." His voice had taken on a hard edge. "I raised you since you were a child, provided nourishment and care. From that wretched battlefield came a tenacious warrior, yes, but I will not allow all that talent and bloodthirst go to waste just because you got impatient!"

Kayn looked at his feet, unable to make eye contact with his master. The silence between them dragged on for what seemed like an eternity before Kayn spoke up. "Glad to know that my own master doesn't even trust me…"

He turned and stormed out before Zed could manage a word. Zed sat back down on his throne and put a hand across his forehead, trying to rub the headache that had started to build.

 _Shieda… I am sorry but I am truly not ready to see my student lost to the shadows. Perhaps I am being too hard on him?_

Zed slumped more than he sat as he contemplated what could be done about Kayn's hotheadedness. Kayn wasn't wrong, his skills and mastery of the hidden shadow techniques were far beyond the caliber of his other disciples. His proficiency with weapons were also admirable, to the point where he could best ten of his fellow acolytes with ease using a simple dagger.

It wasn't his skill that Zed doubted, however. Kayn had always had a knack for having a short fuse. Him being in the peak of his teenage years didn't help that whatsoever. He lashed out at his master more often than not, and is more arrogant than Noxus itself. Despite all of his shortcomings, Kayn had proven invaluable time and time again on missions of high profile. He had even saved Zed during that encounter with the Vastayan lovers.

Zed shuddered. He hated those two.

Rapid footsteps coming from outside his throne room distracted him from pursuing his detestable bout with the lovers. He sat up straight just as some of his followers rounded the corner into his field of view. He recognized one of them as a spy he recently sent to the island of Zhyun. He furrowed his brow in concern. If this particular spy had come back so soon, it would not be good news. He was breathless and ragged looking as he knelt at Zed's feet.

"Stand, brother of shadow. I sense that your news is urgent."

"Y-yes master… it's him.. H-he's back…"

Zed grabbed the man's shoulders to steady him. "Compose yourself!"

The man took a few seconds to catch his breath and was given some water. "I came back as swiftly as I could once I heard the news… he's back master…"

Everyone around him stared at him, waiting for him to speak.

"The Golden Demon… Khada Jhin has been broken out of prison!"

* * *

 **To anyone who gets to this point, thank you for sticking with me. This is my first story ever and I am not sure how it will be received. Any constructive criticism will be appreciated!**

 **Zed has always been my favorite edgelord ninja and champion in League of Legends. His gameplay is so fun when played correctly and is highly rewarding. That being said about Riot's champion, his lore always fascinated me as a character. What lies beyond those shadows, his troubled quotes, that infamous mask of his? I want to expand his storyline and go in depth with all the nitty gritty details of his adventure and history, and maybe even expose a side of Zed we've never seen before!**

 **Again, thank you to all who have read this far. Let me know what you guys think!**


	2. Chapter 2 - Chance Encounter

_Chapter 2_

Zed knew that nobody would disturb him in his present mood― not even Kayn.

The Master of Shadows sat brooding on his throne surrounded by his signature shadows that cast an eerie red glow across the room . Just moments ago, he had nearly severed the head of his spy from Zhyun in disbelieving rage.. Instead, he had settled for slinging the unfortunate jug of water and the coffee table it had occupied across the room, the shattered remains of which glinted in the wavering murky red light with an ominous air. Thankfully, everyone cleared the throne room before Zed could do anything he'd regret. He needed some time alone to collect his thoughts and formulate his next steps.

The news of Jhin's escape changed everything. Zed had planned to confer with Kayn about the final task he would be assigned as Zed's apprentice later that day, something about a new Darkin weapon recently discovered in Noxus, but he couldn't focus on that matter right now. Besides, Kayn could figure that out on his own if he really thought so highly of himself.

Issues such has raids on ancient magical temples throughout Ionia and recruiting new members in the Order of Shadows swirled around Zed's increasingly drowsy mind, but none of that mattered anymore. Everything came second to the recapture of Jhin. It had to. However, Zed could tell he was not thinking clearly. He needed some advice. What's more, if he wanted even a chance of finding the slippery bastard, he would need to utilize every last resource. Zed could not command the entire Order of Shadows on his own; he would need a second in command, perhaps more.

 _I need someone I can trust..._

"Shen."

Zed started and blinked in surprise, looking up to find himself face to face with an elderly man in the black cloak and garb of the order. He starred, wondering if he'd heard the man correctly.

"Young Master, you need the Eye of Twilight by your side to do this."

"Azael, do you realize the gravity of what you are suggesting?"

Zed was not surprised by the accuracy with which the oldest member of his order discerned his thoughts, nor did he reprimand the frail man for suggesting such a thing. He was more curious than anything.

"Yes, but you must remember how difficult it was to capture the Golden Demon once. It took the three brightest and most skilled of the former Kinkou order many years to catch him. With Noxus and Ionia in their current state, how long do you think it would take for just the Order of Shadow to find him?"

Zed furrowed his brow. He saw the truth in Azael's words, as he did many times before. Azael was once a part of the original Kinkou order and a personal friend of Kusho's. He had acted as counselor for their group during the first hunt for Jhin and was the only person other than the three chosen whom Kusho trusted with the secret of their search for Jhin.

Azael also kept the three of them sane when their search seemed to yield nothing but dead ends and whispers of a ghost long gone.

"While I hold no malicious intent towards my former kin since our orders have reached a shaky stalemate, I cannot be convinced that Shen has forgiven me for murdering his father and betraying the entire Kinkou order."

Azael merely smiled in light of Zed's concerns. "Young Master, even though you have mastered the delicate and potent magic of shadows, you have much to learn. Of course, your cause was just and without your actions, Noxus would have surely taken more of Ionia, but hear me out. You and Shen were brothers at the time of Jhin's apprehension. Although Shen accepted Kusho's decision, you both were originally against the idea of imprisoning Jhin. I am almost certain he has kept a close watch on Jhin ever since. After all, he is the Eye of Twilight. It is his job to uphold his notion of balance."

Zed couldn't help but feel his spirits lift ever so slightly as what Azael said started to dawn on him. He leaned back to regard the hunchbacked old man looking earnestly down at him and cocked an eyebrow to prompt him to continue.

"Shen will also want to recapture Jhin immediately, but neither the new Kinkou order and the Order of Shadow are at peak strength," Azael continued, encouraged by Zed's expression. "Alone, none of us have the resources or manpower to find someone- some _thing_ as crafty as Jhin."

Zed sat up now, a spark of renewed determination in his eyes. "Azael, I leave you in charge. I will leave as soon as I am prepared for my journey. I will be going alone."

He rose swiftly, all signs of his previous brooding vanished. There was a twinkle in the old man's eyes as he watched Zed walk out of the throne room.

"Oh, and Azael?"

"Yes Master?"

"You know what to tell Kayn."

* * *

Something was stirring within the Immortal Bastion of the impenetrable Noxus. Whispers moved like smoke in a storm through the vile streets and foul alleyways. Even the most vulgar brothels and filthy obscure corners beyond the walls of the massive city-fortress didn't escape the news. The mighty Hand of Noxus was back from his campaign in the frigid continent of Freljord. Darius had returned.

Jericho Swain sat across from Darius, intently watching him tear into the meal before of him. Darius devoured the massive steak with the genuine urgency of one famished after years of nothing but hardtack and whatever could be hunted in the icy tundra of Freljord.

Darius had marched into the city not a week ago from the icy North with the small group of veteran soldiers that had survived their journey. They were not met with the triumphant celebration and congratulations they had expected, but instead with quiet apprehension. The king that had named Darius the Hand of Noxus was now dead at the hand of the disgraced general Swain. He was surprised to learn that even his own brother Draven had supported and participated in the coupe against Boram Darkwill, the late despot of Noxus. Unease spread across the city in hushed whispers upon the general's return― nobody was sure how Darius would react.

"I am the Hand of Noxus, not the Hand of Boram Darkwill. My duties are to the empire, not to any given ruler. If Darkwill was weak enough to be overthrown, then he deserved to be," he had proclaimed to Swain himself, standing tall and steadfast as ever before him.

Darius had known Jericho Swain long before his decade of battles with the tribes of Freljord. Swain was cast out of the military over a decade ago by the mad former king after being defeated in the invasion of Ionia. Darius disagreed with the general's discharge back then and harbored a deep respect for the man even now. He knew that Swain was an honest man, unlike what the former king made him out to be― an honest man who spoke truthfully about his future rule of Noxus. His ideas, to Darius, made sense and ensured Noxus' future as a nation. Jericho Swain was a man Darius could trust.

For a while, only the tick of the hextech grandfather clock interrupted the sounds of ravenous eating. Then, finally, Darius pushed his plate away and wiped his mouth. He sat back and let out a contented sigh, his belly truly full for the first time in what felt like a lifetime. Only one other soul was present in the room: a lone guard who was responsible for catering to the two infamous generals. The guard felt a bead of sweat roll down his face as he waited for either of the two men to break the silence. The tension in the room was palpable, and he felt as if it threatened to snuff out his meager existence. The castle was used to Swain's cool, disciplined command, and its normalcy mirrored the control with which he handled his powers, right down to the way he always kept his demonic arm carefully concealed beneath a cloak. The arm had been a gift from an old ally; an unnamed demon had seen fit to aid Swain's rise to power for reasons unknown to most, and while the general was grateful, he did not think it wise to leave such a controversial asset on display. Darius' arrival clashed strongly with these values. The newcomer knew the extent his own powers well and was not shy in showing them off to all who could see. His wordless displays of prowess used no magic, but instead utilized brute force in a proud manner that could almost be described as brash. Needless to say, the dining hall guard's present discomfort was not without cause.

Finally, Swain straightened up with a rather diplomatic smile aimed directly at the man sitting across from him and signaled halfheartedly to the guard, who nearly jumped out of his skin. He scrambled to clear the plates from the table and nearly dropped everything on his way out. Only when the guard was gone did Swain speak.

"Darius, I will not waste words on meaningless small talk. I need not elaborate on my gratitude for your return, nor will I congratulate you. You know your duty to Noxus as do I. With you back, I know we will succeed in bringing our great nation to heights never before witnessed in the history of Runeterra."

Darius stood from his chair and walked to the open window overlooking most of Noxus. The sun was beginning to setting in the West over the Immortal Baston, behind the mountains between the almighty Noxus and its neighboring land of Demacia.

"Ten long years of war in the bitter cold," Darius rumbled slowly. "Noxus waits for no man to rest, Swain. I feel like you and I know this truth better than most. We will push Noxus to the top once again. Ionia, Zaun, Demacia, and even the Shadow Isles will fall under the might of Noxian rule."

Swain nodded in agreement. "You, me, and Draven. The Trifarix will redeem Noxus and take our place at the top of the world."

He grit his teeth and clenched his fist and whirled around with fire in his eyes to Swain. "I will take them with my own hand if need be. Noxus forever!"

* * *

 _~ Somewhere between the new Kinkou monastery and The Placidium ~_

A fluorescent toad leapt out of the way as a being many times its size nearly crushed it.

Landing near a stream in the small clearing amidst the trees, it observed the being with indifferent eyes, assessing if the creature intended harm to it. The toad had seen these creatures occasionally before. Strange creatures that covered themselves with fabric that hid their natural skin. Strange creatures that walked completely upright on two feet. This particular one that had crossed the toad's path was walking silently, slightly crouched forward. The posture of a hunter. The toad determined that it was not here to hunt him however. It relaxed and looked away.

Akali Jhomen Tethi sat cross-legged in traditional meditative style, more from habit than actual meditation. She hated meditating. Her stomach growled in anticipation as the toad she had caught cooked over the small fire she made. A small stream nearby filled the air with the soothing sound of trickling water and birds chirped as they went about their daily folly, oblivious to the former Kinkou ninja below them.

A couple weeks had passed since Akali went rogue, casting off the shackles of restraint that Shen had always put upon her. Balance wasn't something that could be kept by restraining oneself, Akali thought to herself. Action was needed to uphold the kind of balance Akali wanted.

Just as she sat down to enjoy her meal, a rustle nearby instantly galvanized her into a defensive stance, her smoke screen bombs already in her hands. Her carefully honed senses took in everything from the forest around her. Her eyes carefully scanned the trees and bushes, stopping at a suspicious cluster of berry bushes. Ever so slowly, she inched towards the bush, all the while keeping one foot in front of the other, ready to pounce or retreat at a moment's notice.

The bushes rustled again, causing all of her muscles to tense. She suddenly found herself face to face with a-

A baby worax. The small, goatlike creature mewed at the crouched ninja and went on its way. Akali blinked a few times before standing upright, feeling foolish for being so wary. Shen himself did not make any moves to stop her when she left, and she doubted that he would waste time to look for her.

With a sigh, she sat back down next to her now burnt frog and mentally reprimanded herself.

 _I'm a free ninja now. Well, a rogue ninja, according to the Kinkou. I can do whatever I want! I was their best. Even if I was ambushed, I'd be able to fend for myself._

Akali knew this was reckless thinking for a ninja, but she was her own master now. No rules to follow, no more meditation, no guidelines. She was the rogue assassin.

* * *

Zed watched in mute fascination atop a sturdy branch, directly above where the girl had found the worax. She moved in a way very similar to how he was taught as a Kinkou disciple; her movements mimicked those of nature. There was something off however. She obviously had her own nuances but she had an air of… rebellion? Was she Kinkou? She didn't wear the traditional garb of a Kinkou disciple, which consisted of some sort of darkly colored _gi_. Instead, the strange girl had her hair in a messy ponytail that puffed out to nearly the size of her own head, unacceptable by Kinkou standards, at least on missions. She was also alone. Zed made sure of that ever since he sensed her presence. No Kinkou disciple was allowed this far from their monastery without some sort of supervision or company. Regardless of whether or not she was Kinkou, Zed had to make a decision fast. The girl finished her meal and was preparing to leave.

 _Now or never._

With the grace of a falling leaf on a still Autumn day, Zed leapt from his position on the tree branch and landed without a sound a good distance away from the stranger. He cleared his throat to get the girl's attention.

Without warning, the girl whirled around, simultaneously dropping her smoke bombs with one hand and throwing five kunai knives at Zed. Fully expecting this, Zed released all tension in his legs and let gravity take his body to the ground, dodging the kunai easily. What he did not expect however, was the smokescreen. The thick smoke filled his lungs and it took all of his willpower not to cough and give away his position in the impenetrable blackness. He could barely see an arm's length in any given direction, but he didn't need to be worried. If Zed couldn't see the girl in the smokescreen, surely the girl couldn't see him.

A split second later, Zed felt the world spin and his face met something cold and hard- the ground. The rest of his body followed and he hit the ground with a resounding thud. He lay face down, sprawled and disoriented.

 _Shit._

He tried getting up but froze as he felt a blade's edge press harshly against his neck, in the gap between his helmet and chest armor. A surprisingly deep, slightly raspy female voice came from his young looking attacker.

"Give me a reason not to slit your throat, _now_."

* * *

 **That's it for chapter 2! Any constructive criticism is appreciated. Thanks for reading :)**


	3. Chapter 3 - An Unlikely Alliance

_Chapter 3_

* * *

 _Akali_

Akali grit her teeth and felt the blood rush into her cheeks.

She thanked the gods the stranger was laying face down. She shook her head in self-disappointment and pressed the blade harder against the man's neck. "Listen, I don't have all da-"

All of her muscles tensed the instant her hand met the skin of the man under her.

 _There's something wrong with this man!_

It was only instinct that saved Akali as she sprang back and somersaulted away. She felt the dirt pile under her feet as she slid to a stop. The drop of blood that rolled down her cheek was a stark contrast to the cold sweat she just broke into. She stared at the now standing figure and tried to assess what just happened.

 _Those blades weren't on his arms before, what the hell is happening?_

She watched as the man raised both of his arms to his side and the blades slid into his gauntlets with sharp sound of metal scraping against metal. _Go figure. Retractable arm blades_. Akali scanned the man up and down with keen eyes. His helmet's design slightly resembled that of a Noxian knight, with six vertical lines cut into the mouth area for airflow. That was where the similarity ended, however. The top of the helmet was rounded and seemed to fit snugly against the man's head. A golden _V_ stylized the forehead of the mask, giving it an angry, aggressive intensity. A crimson colored cloth seemed to come out from under the top of his helmet, obscuring his ears and most of his neck, almost like a shawl. The red cloth seemed to diffuse under his chest armor and terminated just above his waistline. It flowed over his shoulders, under his pauldrons and stopped midway down his upper arm. _What a strange looking set of armor… he maneuvered with the swiftness of a well-trained ninja master, but ninja normally don't don metal armor, for the sake of quickness and agility._

"Are you Kinkou? You move as if you were trained by Kinkou." The deep, rumbling voice clearly came from the man, but emanated and echoed around Akali as if she was standing in a long hallway.

Every fiber in Akali's body tensed again as the masked man raised his hand to his face. The mask… disappeared? Akali furrowed her brows and watched as the sharply angled metal mask seemed to melt away to pitch black nothingness. _A shadow?_ Akali thought to herself. With the helmet gone, he was able to slide the red cloth back from his head, revealing a messy shock of snow-white hair.

She paused briefly, taking in the top half of the man's face; while his mask was gone, a traditional ninja mask still obscured the the majority of his nose and mouth. Akali blinked and stared into the blood red eyes that seemed to bore into her. She noticed that his eyes were the same color as the cloth that he removed a few seconds ago.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" Akali managed to utter with what she hoped was a steady voice. The contrast between how harsh the red in his eyes were and his indifferent, almost gentle expression was jarring. The man seemed to pause, uncertain of what to do. It was several long moments that seemed to drag on forever before he finally spoke.

"My name is Zed, head of the Order of Shadow. To whom do I have the… pleasure of meeting?"

Akali paused, almost forgetting that ninja often imbue their masks with magic to change their voice in order to hide their true identity. The man- _Zed's_ real voice was less metallic and harsh, but still held a gravity and deepness to it that belied his young appearance, at least from what Akali heard so far. It was also surprisingly soft for someone of his stature; she could tell that Zed was well built, even under his armor.

"The Order of Shadow?" Akali inquired with faux innocence, trying not to let her contempt show. Yes, Akali now realized what was wrong with this man. This was the same man led the raid on the former Kinkou monastery seven years ago. The same man that led his dark acolytes through the gates and murdered her father, and nearly took her mother's life too.

Zed tilted his head inquisitively, eyes still locked onto Akali's as if trying to read her thoughts.

"No doubt you've heard of it before. I suppose it is fairly… infamous." That last word was barely a whisper and Akali saw something change in his eyes for a split second, something that resembled how Shen looked when he spoke about his past. It went away as fast as it came, replaced by the same indifference as earlier. Akali decided to pay no attention to it. She knew how ruthless Zed could be, especially to those who held strong beliefs against his order and what it stood for. He was probably playing mind games with her, trying to get into her head. Every subtlety that he showed on his face, every movement no matter how small was a part of mental exchange between them. She knew because she was taught to do the same. Her fists clenched so hard she felt her nails draw blood from the palm of her hand. Sweat beaded on her forehead and it took all of what little restraint Akali had left not to charge at the man in front of her with reckless abandon.

Akali had left the monastery with the hopes of eventually gathering enough experience and perhaps some people who were like-minded to join her in her quest to bring justice to Ionia. The Order of Shadows was a distant thing that needed taking care of, but she didn't expect to encounter them so soon, especially not the leader. This man she wanted to kill was right in front of her, but she wasn't prepared. At least, not yet. An idea was forming in her head, and she needed to play this slow and calculated.

* * *

 _Zed_

"The least you could do is tell me your name, ninja. You move with impressive agility, do you come from the Kinkou monastery?"

 _Two can play this mind game_. If the girl wasn't willing to give, neither was Zed. There was no doubt that she was a Kinkou disciple, or taught by the Kinkou anyways. Her movements were to fluid and efficient for her not to be.

"Akali. That's my name. And yeah, I was taught by the Kinkou. I heard that you invaded their monastery almost a decade ago," came the dry response.

Zed cocked his head in interest at the girl. He felt as if he had heard of that name somewhere before, but disregarded it. That wasn't important at the moment. He couldn't help but smile ever so slightly; the girl was letting her defenses down already. Her personality was showing and Zed was beginning to see why this girl was alone.

"Oh? So you are from the Kinkou monastery? I thought the Order of Shadows and the Kinkou were at an agreement. We are not allowed to harm any members of each others' respective orders unless provoked. If you knew who I was, why did you attack me? I tried to get your attention in the least offensive way I could."

"W-well, I didn't realize who you were at first, and I'm not exactly a part of their order anymore," stuttered Akali. To Zed, her answer seemed genuine enough. "I guess I should apologize for that." From the look on her face, Zed surmised that Akali didn't like apologizing. At least she had _some_ sort of honor code.

Zed shook his head as he stepped forward, holding his hand out in front of him.

"It was an honest mistake, and I could already tell by the way you act that you are no Kinkou servant. You speak and act without restraint." _And I respect that._ Zed wondered if Akali had also gotten tired of Kinkou tenets and ideals. _Did I find another recruit to bring into the order?_ Zed wondered. _I'm not looking for anyone new right now but she seems capable enough._

Zed pushed the thought to the back of his mind as Akali reached out and shook his hand with the vigor and strength typical of someone her age. Zed could now see the girl close up for the first time, and noted that Akali was shorter than him by a good four inches or so. He could see a tattoo of a violet dragon outlined in gold that wound around her right arm, continuing up her shoulder and presumably ending on her back. While the lower half of her face was covered by a mask, he noticed that her eyes were a deep maroon color, almost burgundy. A far cry from the red of his own eyes, but they burned with a fire that mesmerized him.

Zed blinked, finding it surprisingly difficult to break away from the girl's piercing gaze. He forced himself to look away, clearing his throat once or twice and shifting his stance. Meeting this girl was enough, he didn't need unnecessary distractions. "So Akali, what brings you out to the middle of the Ionian forest? I doubt its to hunt toads and Woraxes. Are you searching for something? Some _one_ perhaps?"

"Just tired of my former master holding me back. You know Shen right?" Akali inquired. Zed nodded in response.

"How could I not? He is- _was_ my brother. I'm sure Shen told you all about me before. Honestly, I'm a little surprised you're so calm around me. You know what I am, the people I've killed, and the things I've done. I'd have expected any sane person to avoid me at all costs." Zed looked down at Akali, waiting for a reaction. He was curious as to how she was going to respond.

Akali merely shrugged and for the first time, Zed saw what looked like a smile through her mask. "War is messy. People are going to get killed either way. It's better that Ionians die by the hand of their own rather than suffer under Noxian rule, _and_ for a better cause. Besides, I've done a fair bit of killing myself, I don't mind a little… _action_." Zed raised a curious eyebrow at her. "Trust me, I'm not crazy," Akali said as she rolled her eyes.

"You say that like people have called you crazy before," remarked Zed, amused by the girl's reasoning for why she didn't mind the nature of his work. _This girl is really something. She looks at the oldest twenty years of age, but she claims to have killed before. She even has the brashness and skills to back it up. Interesting…_

Akali halfheartedly shrugged again. "I mean, people can call me what they want, but it's not gonna stop what I plan on doing. If they wanna stop me, they're gonna have to do it themselves. Simple." The rebellious tone and bluntness with which she spoke gave her a certain charm that Zed liked.

"What about you? What's the infamous Zed doing all the way out here? You're a decent day's hike from your monastery."

Zed blinked in apprehension. If Zed was going to attempt to recruit her, he couldn't reveal that he was going to reconcile with her former master! Maybe the situation would cause him to lose a potentially valuable disciple. _What am I gonna do…?_

 _Khada Jhin has escaped from prison and is probably fleshing out his next gruesome piece of "artwork."_

The thought hit Zed like a train. He felt the familiar burning in his chest and face, the feeling of something deep inside of him well up and boil to the point of exploding- but he took a deep breath. He thought of Azael and how he said that it would take all the resources he could muster to catch Jhin. While he couldn't forget his original objective, if he was going to recruit Akali, he'd have to take a chance and tell her the truth. He did have something in mind that was going to make this easier though...

"Akali, I assume you know the Golden Demon?"

Akali nodded and cocked her head to the side.

"Yeah sure, why? You gonna go and finally finish the job?" Akali asked jokingly.

Zed shook his head slowly. "No. The Golden Demon has escaped from prison and his whereabouts are currently unknown."

Akali furrowed her brow. "Wait, you aren't serious right? _THE_ Golden Demon? The one that fucking…" She paused to find the right words. Zed didn't wait for her to finish. His plan was working; he had her focused on the atrocities of the serial killer.

"Yes, that same one. Shen and I, along with Kusho personally investigated the murder scenes." Zed swallowed to keep his voice steady. He needed to appear strong. "There were rumors at the time that Noxus was looking for someone with his particular _talent_ , and some even speculated that undercover Noxian operatives in Ionia instigated some of his crimes to cause unrest. Proof was never found but it was one of the primary reasons the normally docile Kusho was forced to act."

Zed watched as Akali seemed to struggle taking in the information. "I was heading to the Kinkou monastery before I ran into you, to hopefully make amends with Shen and work together to find the Jhin before he can cause any more unnecessary killing. It's also just a hunch at the moment but the thought occurred to me when I left my monastery. It's entirely possible that Noxian agents also assisted in Jhin's escape. Actually, it is likely that this was part of Noxian general's dark will. Noxus has been quiet for quite some time. They haven't made any major advances to us since we warded them off five years ago. Things are stirring, however. You've seen the raids on villages near the border right?"

Akali nodded angrily, her face now a cold mask of fury. Her voice took on a harsh edge. "Yeah, that's why I left the Kinkou in the first place. Shen didn't think we needed to take action. What a bunch of good for nothings…" she muttered with disgust. "All their talk of upholding balance and look at them, meditating all day getting absolutely nothing done while innocent Ionians are getting killed every other day!" she growled in frustration and looked up at Zed. "Why are you seeking Shen's help? No offense but if he didn't listen to his best pupil, I don't think he'll listen to the guy that killed his dad."

Zed scratched his head, perplexed. "Surely even Shen can't ignore Jhin's escape for long… does he truly think the best course of action to take is nothing?"

"Wait… when did you say Jhin escaped? Like, I mean when exactly?" Akali asked suddenly.

"The exact time is unknown; I only know because a spy came from Zhyun bearing the news. Assuming that Jhin escaped a day or two before my spy got there, and the trip back from Zhyun to my monastery takes at least a few days, I'd say the escape took place a week ago."

Akali eyes opened wide in realization. "I left the Kinkou nearly a month ago… it's possible that the news got to Shen after I left."

It dawned on Zed. "We both don't know how Shen reacted to the news of Jhin's escape. He might still want to take action!" He looked into Akali's eyes again. "Akali, we must do this for Ionia. I know you left the Kinkou very recently and I understand that you don't exactly see eye to eye with Shen, but this is a chance to make something big happen. Together, we can shut down Jhin before he makes a move and, if my hunch is correct, we make a statement to Noxus: Ionians won't go down without a fight."

Akali closed her eyes and crossed her arms. It was a few minutes before she spoke again. "Fine, but only for Ionia. Not for you, not for Shen, not for any master, but because I took it upon myself to see that Ionia is in safe hands."

Zed nodded again, though secretly disappointed that Akali wouldn't join his order.

"Let's go demon hunting."

* * *

 **Merry Christmas everyone! Happy holidays and a happy new year to those who don't celebrate Christmas! Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Some parts were actually very challenging lore-wise, trying to get everyone's timelines to fit and still have a unique and realistic story more difficult than I thought it was gonna be. Nevertheless, I hope the interactions between these two ninja are interesting; they both cast off restraint and now go their own path. Even though they would turn out to be rivals in canon lore, this chapter was a way I thought of to keep them relatively friendly. I have big plans for this story and hope you guys stick alone for the ride :) Again, I hope you enjoyed reading this and any constructive criticism is appreciated. Have a happy new years everyone!**


	4. Chapter 4 - Company

_Chapter 4_

* * *

 _Akali_

Zed was different from what she had heard about him to say the least.

For starters, she didn't expect the man who killed her dad to be _attractive_ in any way. That was her first impression of his appearance since she met him a few hours ago. She's seen her fair share of good looking guys before, but none of them had white hair that was messy in _just_ the right way, or blood red eyes that peered into her fucking soul every time he looked at her. That was just his appearance however, and Akali knew better than to judge by just appearance. He _was_ the man that killed her dad after all, she couldn't let her guard down just because he was pretty. It was what little he revealed about his personality that interested Akali the most. He wasn't the cruel, ruthless Master of Shadows everyone in the Kinkou Order had nightmares about. He was rather blunt and only spoke when it mattered, but otherwise polite when he needed to be. When she asked him about why he had abandoned the Kinkou Order and took control of Ionia's fate by himself, he responded vaguely with "The same reason why you left them." To say it was hard to get a read on this guy would be an understatement, Akali thought.

 _Oh well, I've only been travelling with him for a few hours. I'll see for myself the kind of man he is if I'm staying with him all the way to the Kinkou monastery._

It was twilight when they stopped to rest. They had followed the small creek upstream, retracing Akali's steps until they reached a small clearing in the trees no wider than fifteen feet in diameter. They didn't set up any sort of camp; the Ionian forest provided plenty of lighting. Zed made himself at home sitting cross legged, hands on his knees, his back resting against a large cedar tree, and promptly fell silent. Even though his eyes were closed, Akali knew that he was wide awake, still wary of her presence and taking in every detail he could around him. It was basic meditative focus that almost all children in Ionia were taught when they were young, ninja or not. It cleared you mind and allowed you to enhance all of your senses apart from sight. It was a quality Ionians were proud of. Sight is one of humanity's most refined sense and it is over-emphasized and used to a fault, but Ionians knew that balance in oneself's body is above all else. Even Zed and Akali did not dispute that.

Akali knew there was little to gain by watching Zed and so she decided to do the same. She settled on a red pine directly across the clearing from Zed. The pine had leaves that glowed a faint yellow that basked the surrounding area in a warm sheen of reflected light. Sitting in more or less the same position as Zed, Akali fell into her own kind of meditation. While the Kinkou taught her to practice _Coursing the Sun_ and the other meditative forms, Akali chose to strip herself of those, feeling like they restricted her thinking. She meditated in the most basic sense of the word.

As Akali closed her eyes, she immediately _felt_ her surroundings get louder and more defined. The small trickle of the stream nearby became a rumble, escalating to a roaring torrent louder than any waterfall. The slight breeze she could hardly feel against her skin before became an icy gale that chilled her down to her very bones. Akali heard everything that happened in a sphere around her, felt the ground tremble as an ant walked by a few paces away from her. She heard-

She heard a heartbeat. A human heartbeat. It steadily grew louder, each pump of blood it pushed through the arteries and veins went faster, escalating to a crescendo. The thumping was hammering in her ears. Akali's eyes shot open. Was she being attacked? Her hand was instantly behind her at the bag around her waist. She scanned the area around her, looking for anything that would give away anyone or anything trying to ambush her. She stayed perfectly still for a few seconds. A few seconds turned into minutes.

Nothing.

 _If it's not an intruder then it has to be…_

Akali looked across the clearing at Zed, the faint yellow glow from the leaves cast long shadows on his face. He appeared as if he was asleep with his head leaning to one side and slightly forward. His breathing was ragged and he had a pained expression his face. The way his head was angled cause his ninja mask to slip off, revealing a well-proportioned nose and mouth. His mouth was slightly open and revealed that his lips were full and soft- not what Akali had expected. Her eyes moved down to his chin, tracing the outer edges of his well-defined jawline-

Akali blinked and looked away, feeling her cheeks burn slightly. She shouldn't be watching Zed sleep. Besides, he didn't look like he was having a good time; whatever dreams were affecting him were clearly of the unsavory type. Akali laughed inwardly. Here she was in the middle of the Ionian forests travelling with the The Master of Shadows, killer of her father, and he was having a nightmare. It was almost too comical to believe. Yet, here she was.

Akali unbuckled her satchel from her waist, checking on her neatly organized compartments of various weapons and supplies: a dozen small kunai, five larger kunai, _shuriken_ of various sizes, acupuncture needles that could double as weapons if used correctly, a small canteen decorated with the same dragon on her back, and medical supplies emergency situations. Food and water was the least of her problems. The First Lands have plenty of food if one knows where to look, and water courses through Ionia like blood through veins, providing nourishment to every corner of the massive archipelago.

Lastly, Akali's eyes stopped on something that reflected an emerald green in the yellow light of the pine tree. It was tucked away deep into a pocket on the side of her back, relatively safe from harm. The medallion Akali's mother gave her when she came of age at fourteen. The medallion that signified The Fist of Shadow. It was the only thing she took when she left the monastery. She pulled it halfway out, running her thumb over the intricately carved jade and the beautifully forged bronze.

Akali shook her head, putting the medallion back and closing the flap on her satchel. _Too late to be getting sentimental Akali. Focus. You've got Noxians to kill and a serial killer to catch. You need energy for that._

Akali laid down next to the tree, using her sack as a makeshift pillow. Making sure her _kama_ was close by, she lowered her mask and closed her eyes. Drifting off to a peaceful slumber, Akali fell asleep thinking about the what the next few weeks had in store for her.

* * *

 _Zed_

" _You cannot run."_

 _I cannot run._

" _You must not run"_

 _I must not run._

" _It is impossible to run"_

 _But I have to run._

" _You cannot run from your own shadow, Zed. Face me!"_

Zed gasped and sat up, drenched cold sweat. He closed his eyes, trying to stop his muscles from twitching. _That dream again…_

For the past few months, Zed had been dreaming the same dream… and he could never quite remember what it was about. There were dark, wispy shadows, growls and hauntingly empty voices, and the general feeling of being chased by something unknown, something terrifying.

He looked around, trying to get his bearings and forget the nightmare. His breath formed condensation in the brisk Autumn air. Birds were just beginning to warble and sing their songs, marking the beginning of a new day. The sun was just beginning to shine through the fog of the previous night, washing everything in the forest with a lustrous golden sheen. Magic hummed in the air like the beat of a bird's wings; Ionia itself was rising from its slumber.

In his fitful sleep, Zed had rolled away from the cedar tree and was more towards the middle of the clearing now. Akali was sleeping under a large pine tree, facing away from him. Zed could see her tattoo clearly now. The lines and colors looked crisp and clear, as if they had been inked in yesterday.

 _Huh, so the tattoo was a symbol of rebellion… It looks like the work of the famous tattoo artist Bo'lii. I heard that he makes his residence in the port village of Weh'le._ Zed smiled, thinking about the time he got his first and last tattoo from Bo'lii. He had been part of the Kinkou at the time, and had just come of age. Kusho had brought him and Shen to the hidden village of Weh'le, to Bo'lii. They had debated on whether or not to get matching or related tattoos, but decided against it. He shook his head, thrusting the warm memory away from his focus. That was when he was a member of the Kinkou Order, when he wasn't disillusioned about the cold, hard truth.

A sudden sound from Akali caught Zed's attention. The rogue assassin mumbled something unintelligible in her sleep. She rolled over, now facing Zed. Her mask had fallen off, or she took it off before she slept, Zed didn't know. What Zed knew was the face that he was looking at was exceptionally… _pretty_. Her normal volatile expression of "Fight me! Bet you that I can win with my eyes closed!" had relaxed into a calmer, more neutral face. For the first time, Zed saw Akali's face clearly, without obstruction. Eyebrows, while still at a rather sharp angle, were now less furrowed, giving her an air of peace and tranquility that she normally lacked. Zed noticed that she had an adorably small nose and a proportionally small jaw, with a chin that ended in a round point. Her mouth was similarly small, with a thin upper lip and full, round bottom lip. It was her rounded cheeks - and fiery eyes - that put her youthfulness into what would otherwise be a mature face.

She was young, no doubt, but she was also beautiful. Zed found no shame in finding his new companion attractive; it's in the nature of humans to find things that are pleasing to the mind's eye. However, he could not let that distract himself from his mission. He mentally scolded himself, gave Akali's face one more look, got up and walked through the trees to the nearby stream, stretching and rubbing the sleep out of his muscles along the way.

Pulling his flask from the pouch he kept strung over his shoulder, he knelt and refilled the ornately carved wooden container. It had been a gift from Shen on their fourteenth birthday, but Zed now only saw it as a container for his water; sentiment only distracted him. He tilted his head back and drank deeply, feeling the cold water go down his throat.

After rehydrating, Zed splashed water on his face in an attempt to rouse himself and shake of the remnants of his nightmare. The shock of the frigid water jerked him wide away, pushing the foggy edges of sleep away. He needed to be alert to come up with an improvised plan. When he had embarked on this trip he hadn't expected company, and now he needed to adjust his plans to accommodate his new companion. He didn't doubt her ability to defend herself; she had made that abundantly clear the day before. He would not be travelling with her if she was weak. What he was worried about was her trust in him. Could she follow orders? Of course not, but could they come to some sort of agreement on what to do? Perhaps…

"Hey, how long are you gonna stare at the water? Can we get going already?" came a familiar voice behind him.

"Good morning Akali, I was just thinking to myself."

" _Obviously_."

Ignoring her remark, Zed sighed and turned to face her. He noticed that she had put her mask back on.

"Look, we need to establish some sort of leadership. There's no way this will work if we rush ahead recklessly without having one of us in charge."

"I didn't leave the Kinkou just to be bossed around again. It's my way or no way," Akali said stubbornly. "Although, I'll consider what you have to say m'kay?" she added. "As long as we don't get in each other's way, we should be fine! You're the Master of Shadows and I'm the most skilled assassin in Ionia, what could go wrong?"

Zed sighed for the second time and shook his head. "Agreed, you can take the lead, but don't regret saying that young one."

He stood up and brushed the dirt from his pants. "We are strong, but we are not immortal. I won't take any chances. If you mess up, you're on your own."

Akali crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, a gesture Zed knew that he would see plenty more of.

"You say that as if me being by myself will make a difference," she retorted. "I'm almost tempted to see what the Master of Shadows can do on his own."

 _Is she teasing me? Her eyes say no. The smirk under her mask tells me yes._

"And did you just call me 'young one'? How old are you anyways? You can't be much older than me."

"I'm only twenty-"

He paused, holding his hand up to silence Akali. He heard footsteps, and they were getting louder every passing second. His voice barely a whisper, he signalled to Akali with his hand to be quiet.

" _We've got company._ "

Akali nodded and immediately, she dashed towards a nearby tree, tall enough to provide sufficient cover. She jumped up and scaled the trunk, and just as she reached the apex of her ascent, she pushed off with both feet, landing with a twirl atop a thick branch. She signalled with a nod of her head to join her on the adjacent branch of the same tree. Zed followed her exact maneuver, but instead of flipping off the tree to the branch, he used his sheer strength to gain acceleration upward and at the last second, grabbed the branch, keeping it arm's length from him. He swung up and over, landing on the branch without a sound.

The footsteps got louder and louder, joined by the voices of a hushed conversation. Two soldiers crashed through the trees on the opposite side of the stream, one carrying a huge two handed axe, and the other holding an sharply angled shield with a similarly angled hatchet. There were three indentations on each of their breastplates.

"Akali… the crude design of their armor, the mark of the Trifarix… those are Noxian soldiers!"

* * *

 _Darius_

 _Thunk_

 _Thunk_

 _Thunk_

Every swing of his axe that hit the straw dummy target matched that of the hammer repairing his battered war gear. A decade in the frigid conditions of the tundras in Freljord were not kind to the outdated chestplate and gauntlets. The huge pauldrons that cracked and broke under Freljordian ice magic were now being reforged and hammered back into proper battle-ready condition.

Darius heaved his mighty battleaxe one more time, cleaving the poor dummy clean through from shoulder to hip and sending an explosion of hay throughout the training yard. Soldiers that were training beside him murmured in admiration and approval. Wiping the perspiration from his forehead, he sighed with discontent.

He was frustrated. Darius had left Freljord not because he secured victory, but because he was sick and tired of fighting a war of attrition that always ended in a stalemate. He came home, thinking a break would free him from his weariness. Instead, Darius felt uneasy. Having gotten used to constant warfare where any given moment was tense and uncertain, he had forgotten what it was like to relax.

Darius didn't know what to do with himself. On one hand, he was tired of war, but on the other, he was too restless for peace. He had reached a dilemma, a sort of itch that he wanted to scratch. As he brushed a few pieces of straw that had attached themselves to the blade of his axe, Darius contemplated what would solve his problem. No way in hell would be set foot anywhere cold, at least for now. There was nothing but dirt, sand, and empty rumors of a Shuriman god-king rising from the grave. Darius scoffed at the thought.

 _Too many days in the sun really can mess with your head huh… What about… Ionia? Has it been too soon since we reached a stalemate? I need something other than sheer bloodlust to convince Swain to invade again… Speak of the devil!_

Swain walked into the courtyard, flanked by two heavily armed guards. He smiled as he approached Darius.

"General Darius, I thought I would find you here. Was the ten years you spent battling the icy North not enough to satiate your Noxian pride and lust for battle?"

Darius grunted and shook his head, disregarding the fact that Swain had guessed exactly what was bothering him. "General Swain. I take it that you aren't here to spar with me, is there something you need me for?"

Swain's smile only widened in response. "I need to talk to you about something important." His voice dipped to a whisper and he leaned in closer to Darius. "It's about our next big move."

Now he had Darius' full attention.

"Our next big move?"

"Yes. I am talking about a second all out invasion on The First Lands. Ionia is our next big target."

* * *

 **Do you guys like shorter chapters or longer chapters? :o Feel free to drop a review, any constructive criticism is appreciated! I will also take ideas into consideration when writing this story! If you guys have a certain pairing you want me to introduce or ideas on how the plot should evolve, please tell.**

 **Have a happy new years everyone :)**


	5. Chapter 5 - Blending In

_Chapter 5_

* * *

 _Akali_

As much as she hated Zed, there were two things about him so far that impressed her.

One: his looks.

Two: how good he was at killing people. She wasn't fond of the methods and magic he used, but he was good at killing people nonetheless.

After they hid in the tree, Zed made two massive shuriken just _materialize_ out of thin air. Not thin air, Akali observed, but from what appeared to be the physical incarnation of _shadows_. Creepy.

Grabbing both shuriken, he brought both of his arms back as if he were crossing his arms. Just as his arms were pulled as far back as they would go, he released the tension, throwing the shuriken with deadly precision. One sliced through the head of the axe-wielding guard, splitting his helmet and skull all the way through, instantly slaying him. Blood spewed from the guard's open wound, painting his dull gray armor with splashes of crimson and brain matter. The other shuriken found itself cutting through the second guard's leg, and before he could let out the anguished scream forming on his lips, Zed sent a shadow forward, coalescing into a shape that resembled himself. He disappeared from the tree branch, with his shadow in his place. At the same time, Zed appeared in place of his shadow, slamming his hand onto the guard's mouth and stomping on his hatchet-wielding arm.

Akali blinked in shock, not entirely believing what she had just witnessed. It seemed as if Zed sent forth a wispy cloud of black smoke, had it form into a shadowy clone of him, then swapped positions with the shadow. Was this the forbidden dark magic that Shen told her about?

Akali remained where she knelt on the tree branch. There was no need to reveal that there were two attackers, in case there were other guards around that they were unaware of. Instead, she watched on as Zed clenched his hand into a fist, extending his forearm blades to their full length.

 _He's going to interrogate him,_ Akali thought.

Zed held his blade up to the guard's throat. "You are going to tell me everything you know and you are going to tell me _now_. Do I make myself clear _Noxian_?"

The guard could do nothing but nod as the Master of Shadows slid the very tip of his blade across the guard's neck, a drop of blood rolling down the razor sharp edge.

* * *

 _Zed_

Zed and Akali had learned from their captive that Grand General Swain sent them from the Noxus occupied village of Tevasa into Navori to do some reconnaissance. When asked why Swain would do this, he swore on his life that he was just following orders.

"Are there others heading up north?" Zed spat in contempt. More than the weak, he hated Noxians.

"Y-yes, there are others," gasped the guard. Zed only tightened his grip around his neck.

"How many are there? And where did Swain send his dirty rats?" Zed growled, his voice full of hate and malice for the struggling guard.

"I don't know… I just know that I'm not the only one. P-please spare me!"

Zed ended his life with a single swift strike.

"What now? It's a big deal if Swain's sending soldiers from Noxus occupied territory this far north. You think that it could be related to Jhin's escape?" Akali had asked.

"It's a possibility, but we can't get sidetracked in case it has nothing to do with the breakout. We'd just be wasting our time going south." Zed washed his blade off in the stream, taking care not to cut himself. "We should continue full speed ahead towards the new Kinkou order. We'll go through the Capital near the Placidium, stopping there to rest. From the Capital, it's about a day's march to the Kinkou, if you remember correctly."

Akali nodded in agreement. "Sounds like a good plan. We'll need to adopt some disguises; I've become fairly well known in the weeks since I left the Kinkou. And you, mister, need a disguise as well. I'm sure all of Ionia knows about you after what you did to the Kinkou."

Zed turned to Akali, confused. "We are not actually going to stay in the Capital. I've always went around through the outskirts. That way, there is no need for disguises."

Akali looked incredulous. "There's no way that I'm camping out in the forest if I have the opportunity to sleep on an actual bed."

"Besides," Akali added. "There's a good chance there could be Noxian operatives in the Capital, or at least some information about their movements. We can't possibly be the only ones who've come across Noxian soldiers if Swain sent multiple right? There'll be plenty of buzz about it among Ionians. We're not the only ones fighting the world Zed."

Scratching his chin thoughtfully, Zed contemplated Akali's words. "You're right, there are benefits to staying in the Capital itself but still I don't think it's a good-"

"Great! It's settled then. Onwards to the Capital!"

Akali turned around and walked away before Zed could protest further. He sighed heavily and shook his head.

 _What have I gotten myself into?_

* * *

 _~ One Week Later - Outskirts of the Capital ~_

 _Akali_

In their haste to catch Jhin as fast as possible, Akali had forgotten that it was nearly December; signs of the Winter Festival were everywhere around them. While not as grand and bodacious as the Lunar Festival in February, the people of Ionia put forth all of their spirit in lieu of their normal spiritual somberness for the sake of the holidays. This was a time to forgive and forget, to make amends and to fill one's belly with food and one's mind with happiness. This was exclusive to Ionians however, and even the outskirts of the Capitol, Akali could see some vendors selling little straw dolls dressed as Noxian soldiers and generals for the sole purpose of destroying. Such was the nature of Ionians.

"Thank you for your wares, _O-ma_. I am grateful for your help, as always." Akali dropped a few gold coins into the elderly woman's open hand. She had a mischievous smile that made her eyes crease into little more than thin lines. Nearly all of her teeth were gone but her smile was the purest in all of Runeterra.

As always, she a plain brown _yukata_ , a sort of wide sleeved dress and her signature purple sash. Her black-streaked gray hair was tied back into a neat little bun that rested on the top of her head. Akali loved Mei like a true _O-ma._ She had always given Akali beautiful pieces of clothing back when the Kinkou occasionally came by the Capital to do charity work. _Q_ _ípáo_ , _kimonos_ , _yukatas_ , and even a western styled suit, all tailored to fit Akali. Akali had since then outgrown those dresses and handed them down to other little girls who needed them.

"Oh Akali, you are so beautiful! I am glad I saved that outfit for my favorite _dyeda_! I know it is red and not your favorite color, but I think it contrasts your eyes very well. Oh! And it fits perfectly!" Mei exclaimed warmly. "The children your age are getting more and more rambunctious every year! It is cold, but tell me daughter, why do they insist on wearing the outfits I make with the least silk? _Aiya_! It makes no sense to me."

Akali smiled, wrapping both her hands around the older woman's. " _O-ma_ , I am not that young! And to answer your question: I suppose it's just the way the wind shapes the generations."

The woman muttered something in her native dialect, shaking her head. "Oh well. Anyways, who is this handsome young man you brought with you?" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "You know Akali, it is alright to tell _O-ma_ Mei that you are sharing the bed with him! Is that why you asked me to keep your identities a secret?"

Akali blushed crimson. "N-no! I am not sharing the bed with him! We are just here on some business, nothing more, nothing less."

There was a loud crash from the back of the store. After a few seconds, Zed ambled out of the changing room, muttering to himself. Mei looked at him, then to Akali. With a giggle, she grabbed Akali's arm and dragged her next to Zed.

"Ah, the perfect pair! You two look as inseparable as a newlywed couple. Now, _erzai_ , my son, don't wriggle so much! You are going to trip and soil the silk!"

Zed didn't seem to hear Mei. He stood transfixed by the Akali that stood before him. She wore a red silk kimono trimmed in resplendent white and gold, the sleeves of which dangled below her knee. Around her waist was a deep indigo obi that wasn't completely taut, but tight enough to accentuate her waistline perfectly. She also wore knee high boots the same deep indigo as the obi, with gold trim at the collar, and around her neck was a choker of the same color, rather than the normal green silk one she normally wore. Finally, she had indigo forearm wraps that ended right before the bend of her elbow.

Akali folded her arms across her chest, feeling her cheeks burn again. She wished she had her mask with her. "Stop staring… this is only a disguise for the festival, nothing else."

Despite her words, Akali's eyes wandered to see what Mei had chosen for Zed. She could scarcely believe her eyes. He was wearing a western style vest and tie, with a black button up dress shirt underneath. His silk vest had a red outer layer and gold inner layer that showed at the lapels. It was beautifully embroidered with delicate whorls resembling a cloud pattern that reflected the light radiantly. She noticed that it was the same crimson color as his eyes. His dress pants were plain and black, but crisp, fitting his legs like a glove. His indigo tie was embroidered with the same cloud-like pattern and was tucked under his vest. Although it wasn't a clothing item, Akali found herself staring at his rolled up sleeves the most. His arms were toned and muscular; he had the arms of a fighter. His hands however, surprised Akali. While large, his fingers were surprisingly long and delicate. A consequence of wearing protective gloves all the time, Akali thought.

Zed cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably. "Can we get a move on? Time is of the utmost essence."

"Tsk tsk tsk, young man. Is that any way to speak to your new bride?"

Zed turned incredulously to Mei. "Excuse me?! How dare you-"

Before he did something he would regret, Akali put her arm around Zed's and pulled him close to her.

"Zed, this is part of the disguise. Deal with it. I hate this as much as you do." Turning to Mei, "Not you _O-ma_ , I love the outfits. I sincerely apologize for his… behavior." She glared at Zed, pinching his arm.

"Oh no worries _dyeda_ , just have fun okay? And whatever you do," she pulled them both close. "Please be careful, something isn't right in Ionia. I can smell it in the air."

She ushered them out of the doorway and waved them goodbye. "Take care now kids! Heeheehee!"

* * *

~ _The Capital - Outer District ~_

 _Zed_

Zed and Akali walked arm around arm through the streets of the Capital. It was hard for Zed to sit still. He had never worn anything like this in his entire life!

"I can't believe I'm wearing this ridiculous outfit. It's so uncomfortable, and and… _western_! This is something out of a Demacian fairy tale." Zed stretched his free arm up above him, trying helplessly to loosen the dress shirt threatening to burst at the seams. He is the Master of Shadows! What is he doing in Winter Festival attire holding arms with a girl?

Akali sighed and squeezed his arm tighter. "Zed, I already told you. We can't risk the chance of anyone recognizing us. If those Noxian imbeciles you killed made it that far into the Fae'lor forest, how far into Ionia do you think real spies could make it? If you're really in this to capture Khada Jhin for a better Ionia, you should really start acting like it. What happened to the infamous Zed that would do anything for what he wanted?"

Zed paused, struck by what Akali just said. "Yes, you're right. I apologize, I shouldn't be acting this way. I don't know why I…"

"Nevermind why, let's just _try_ to blend in for now, until we find something we can use or we find nothing and we stay somewhere for the night." Akali pulled Zed along, taking in her surroundings. It was now nighttime, but the streets were well lit by natural magic from trees that grew besides homes and stores and Winter Festival lanterns carved from the same magical trees.

"Okay fine," Zed sighed. "Your lead, your rules. However, I've been fighting Noxus for a lot longer than you have. I know who we're dealing with. If they really are skilled enough to trick Ionians into thinking that they are one of us, this will be a lot harder than I previously thought. On top of that, we have to be wary of anyone who might recognize us."

Akali rolled her eyes at Zed. "That last part is more my problem than yours. Nobody knows what your face looks like. I admit, earlier when I first saw you with this outfit on, I barely recognized you. If it weren't for those eyes and your hair, you could pass for any other Ionian, albeit, a very good looking one."

Zed felt her shift slightly against him as she said that. "I am… good looking?"

Akali turned away from Zed, walking slightly faster. "All I'm saying is that you should use every… _asset_ that you have. I'm just pointing one out for you."

Zed felt an unfamiliar burning sensation on his cheeks. "Akali, you look gorgeous as well. Perhaps we could use that to our advantage should we come across any male Noxian soldiers?"

 _This fluttering feeling in my chest, am I sick?_ He touched the back of his hand against his forehead, feeling for his temperature. _Nothing_.

"Z-Zed, let's just stick to the plan for now. Let's uhh… let's go buy something to eat okay? Keep your eyes peeled and let's ask around for rumors."

"Sure. That's what a couple is supposed to do right?"

* * *

 _Akali_

Akali put another _dango_ , a chewy dumpling made from rice flour, into her mouth, feeling the sweet and savory _shoyu_ sauce coat her tongue.

They had no luck finding anything, even after they had tailed a suspicious looking individual back to the outskirts of the Capital. It turns out he was drunk, which was made evident after he relieved himself against a tree and subsequently passed out. Zed had insisted on cutting his _extremity_ off for what he called "destruction of Ionian wildlife," but after searching his person and finding nothing that would point at him being a spy, Zed had to settle on stripping him and tying him to the tree.

Several hours had passed since they first started and they still couldn't find anything. Akali decided to call it a night.

"Zed, I don't know about you but the streets are starting to look pretty empty to me. It must be well past midnight. We won't find anything at this hour, at least not in this area of the Capital."

Zed rubbed his finger against his temple in frustration. "I hate to say it but you're right. We should find an inn or something and-"

"Wait, did you hear that?" Akali quickly grabbed Zed's arm. "Don't turn around, just keep walking."

Thankfully, Zed did as he was told and walked at a steady, nonchalant pace. "Are we being followed?" His voice was a whisper as he looked straight ahead.

"I'm not sure yet… I thought I heard something. Let's keep going for a little while longer."

They walked for another fifteen minutes or so until they stopped in a more populated area. "No, it must have been my imagination. Sorry."

Zed shook his head. "No need for apologies. One can never be too careful, especially considering who we are and what's at stake. And look, I think I found us an inn to stay at." He pointed at a giant, hollow tree ahead of them. It appeared as if it were grown for the purpose of housing people, as the large archways and holes that served as doors and windows were smooth and shaped organically. Five stories up at the very top, gnarled branches twisted and contorted with vines and leaves to form a flat, conical roof. Natural shingles consisting of millions of thin, hair-like leaves dominated the entire rooftop, providing protection from the rainy season. Akali smiled at the large marvel; she loved the magic of Ionia.

As they approached the giant tree, Akali noticed a heavily muscled man leaning against the arched oblong entrance, the golden light from within casting eerie shadows on his face. He was missing the normal tunic of a monk. Instead, he was shirtless and had sparring bandages wrapped around his feet and hands, up to his forearm. Most notable was a thick red cloth tied across his eyes, ending in a braid that resembled hair.

They passed the strange monk, making their way to who Akali presumed as the owner of the inn. He was sweeping the wooden planks of the floor.

"Excuse me sir? Are you the owner of this inn?"

The old man jumped; apparently he didn't hear them approach. "Aiya! I didn't expect visitors this late, but ah! Yes yes, welcome to Ba'ilé Inn. Are you two interested in a room?"

Akali paused. She didn't think this far. She was going to have to share a room with Zed.

Zed spoke in lieu of Akali, noticing her hesitation. "Er, yes sir. We would like a room for two please." He reached into his pocket and handed the innkeeper a gold coin.

The innkeeper paused slightly, looking at Zed's hair. "Yes, well right this way! You two are lucky, there's only one room left in the entire inn! The Winter Festival is really booming this year!"

Zed smiled and wrapped his arm around Akali's shoulder. She tensed immediately at the gesture and walked stiffly next to him, following the innkeeper up a set of stairs. Akali didn't expect that from Zed at all. _W-what is he thinking?_

"I hope you guys don't mind the second floor," the innkeeper said, not paying attention to the squirming that was going on behind his back.

They followed the innkeeper down a long hallway marked with wooden doors on either wall. At the very last door, the innkeeper turned a key in the lock and it swung open with a slight creak. Akali peered into the cozy room. Everything was organically shaped, down to the frames of the furniture. Glowing fruit hung from the ceiling, providing dim but sufficient lighting. She also noticed that there was only one bed against the wall to her right.

 _Shit, I forgot. Oh well… there's only one room left anyways, not like we have much of a choice._

"You two are the fifth couple to check in tonight. I've learned that during the Winter Festival, couples tend to want a room with a single bed. Can't seem to guess why." The innkeeper shook his head and smiled. "I guess I can't complain. At least the walls are soundproof to a certain extent. You two enjoy your stay here. My name is Haro if you need anything. I'll be downstairs where you found me."

Akali stuttered, taken aback by what the innkeeper had just insinuated. "T-thank you very much sir. We appreciate it."

Once the door shut behind them, Akali shook Zed's arm off and stepped back. "I said we should act like a couple, but anything other than arms is off limits, understand?"

"Sorry about that," he said with a smile. "I wanted it to seem authentic. Besides, wasn't it you who said we should be willing to do anything to make sure this whole thing goes smoothly?"

Akali opened her mouth but no sound came out. He did have a point. _I can't believe it was my own plan to pretend to be a couple with the asshole who killed my father…_

"I-I guess I did say that… but only in public! Don't lay a finger on me when we're alone, okay?"

"Okay, fine. I'm not the one with who's so _touchy_ about it."

Akali had to stop her hand from punching the smug grin on his face. "Oh shut up! Let's just get some sleep. It's really late already."

One story down, the innkeeper sighed hearing the muffled voices. "Going at it already huh… damn youngsters…"

* * *

 **I hope you all enjoy the longer chapter! It depends on the content and the impact I want the chapter to have but I plan on making them longer in the future. Thank you all for reading and here's to a good year :)**

 **Happy 2019 everyone!**

 **Warning: NSFW content in the upcoming chapters. I don't know which chapter it will be, but fair warning to anyone reading.**


	6. Chapter 6 - Up the Mountain

_Chapter 6_

* * *

 _The Immortal Bastion - Chamber of the Council_

 _Swain_

Ever since Swain had been dishonorably discharged all those years ago, he developed a deep hatred for Ionia and its people. Unlike many others, who simply wanted to conquer Ionia, Jericho Swain wanted to crush Ionia completely, to make every man, woman and child suffer for what they did to him. The hatred festered in his heart, but instead of ignoring it or coming to terms with his malice, he nourished it like a delicate flower. It grew, and like a sapling planted in the stone cold foundation where Noxus was built upon, it's roots cracked rock and his animosity tore the soil beneath it asunder.. Now, a fully grown behemoth, Swain's hatred could finally be reconciled with his meticulously planned invasion of Ionia, starting with a very specific person in mind, the same person who took his arm that fateful day Noxus was driven back.

 _Xan. Xan Irelia_.

Swain held more contempt for her than all of Ionia. It was she who disgraced him from the battlefield.

 _Swain, the fallen general._

His thoughts churned in his mind as he leaned over the chiseled stone table in the center of the circular chamber. All of the cracks that had accumulated on the ancient block of granite mirrored the stone in which Swain planted his hatred; it was threatening to break completely.

Swain shook his head and shifted uncomfortably to clear the thoughts of vengeance from his head. He would get his retribution, but he needed to be calm and composed to orchestrate his plan. Darius stood to his right with Draven twirling one of his axes to his left. Only Darius seemed to be studying the various maps and battle strategies scattered about the tabletop.

 _Draven will be Draven I suppose. It's Darius who needs to know the plans well. He will be my key to the doors of those cursed First Lands._

Clearing his throat, Swain addressed the battle-hardened general. "Darius. What do you think of the plans?"

Darius cocked his head, deep in thought. When he finally spoke, his eyes didn't leave the map in front of him. "General Swain, these plans are well thought out. I couldn't have come up with a better invasion plan myself. The use of an age old technique first employed by spartans of yore is brilliant. _But_ ," Darius placed a finger on a red "x" on the map of Ionia. "This chokepoint, the strait between the mainland and Zhyun. We hold this point at all costs if we face heavy retaliation. With our forces in the South from Noxus occupied Houhjo and our forces in the West from Bahrl. Zhyun will be completely ours with a little help from our _agent_ on the inside, correct?"

Swain nodded, putting his finger to his chin. "Precisely Darius. Zhyun will have no choice but to surrender its remaining lands to us, and with our man working his magic on Zhyun, it will be as easy as taking candy from a child." Swain couldn't help the smile that crept onto his face. His grand plan was so well put together, nothing short of a miracle could save Ionia.

"What I am unsure of is our inside man. You say he comes from the prison in Tuula, but has been a model prisoner for almost a decade. How can one so well behaved wreak havoc from within? I don't even know his name."

For the first time, Draven spoke. "Oh Darius, even I can figure this one out. If he's as tame as you say, there's gotta be a catch. Ya know, some sort of cog loose in his mind that works to our advantage. Maybe he's a maniac who secretly has an affinity for killin'."

"Great, so our inside man is mentally unstable?"

Swain patted Darius on the back. "No, Darius, he is… an artist. We supply him with the paintbrush and he will grace us with his masterpieces, I assure you."

Swain smiled as he saw Darius' expression change with realization.

"You can't possibly mean…"

"Yes Darius, we have the Golden Demon working on our side."

* * *

 _Ba'il_ _é Inn_

 _Zed_

 _Blood. A lot of it. Sprayed across the walls. Spattered about the floor like some kind of macabre painting. The only light came from a single torch on the wall, its flames flickering wildly without a breeze to disturb it._

 _Zed stood in front of an altar at the center of the room, the only sound audible was his breathing and the steady drip of crimson falling from his blade to the growing pool at his feet._

 _Here he was again. The grisly scene had played itself over and over to Zed. He knew what came next. Against his will, his arm seemed to gravitate towards the ornately decorated black box resting on the altar._

" _No… not this. Not this again."_

 _Whispers started to fill the room the instant his skin came into contact with the cold, intricately carved surface, beckoning to him, calling out to his very soul._

" _Please."_

 _He ran his finger around the perimeter of the lid. The box didn't have a lock._

 _The whispers grew louder, tugging at his mind, grabbing at his hatred and fear. They poured secrets into Zed's heart, filling it with contempt for the weak._

 _Zed grabbed the lid._

" _NOOOO!"_

"Zed."

Zed blinked several times, trying to locate the source of the familiar voice.

"Zed, wake up, time for breakfast. We've got a long day ahead of us."

Lifting his head slightly, he looked up into the eyes of Akali. She was already fully dressed in the previous night's attire, choker and all. A pale dim glow emanated from behind the window curtains, bathing everything in a soft glow. Zed grunted in discomfort, feeling sore all over his back; they had elected Zed to sleep on the cramped little couch across the room from the bed. Sitting up, he rubbed sleep from his eyes.

"Akali, the sun is barely out… we must have slept a few hours at most."

Rolling her eyes, Akali turned and walked to the single, circular wooden table in the room. "Surely the Master of Shadows can function on a few hours of sleep?" she said with a tone of playfulness.

Zed stood up and stretched his arms upwards, causing the fabric of his plain white undershirt to strain against his chest. "I never expected a teenager to be waking up this early on her own accord." Zed mirrored her playful tone, now pulling one arm across the chest with the help of his other to stretch his deltoid muscle. Akali stood staring momentarily before shaking her head and rummaging for something in her satchel.

"What? Your cheeks are pink Akali. Are you well?"

"T-they aren't pink! Hurry up and get dressed. We need to leave the Capital today if we're going to make it to the Kinkou monastery by this week."

"Fine, fine, just give me a minute."

Yawning, Zed stood up and walked to the table next to Akali. Unfolding his clothes from the neat pile, he put on the dress shirt, tie, pants, belt, and finally, the vest. As he dressed, he asked Akali which route they were going to take for the rest of the trip to the Kinkou monastery.

"The exact location is somewhere on the mountain range between Navori and Shon-Xan. It's a pretty treacherous climb for someone who hasn't done it a hundred times before."

"Believe me, I know that better than anyone else," Zed replied. _So that's where Shen brought everyone after the incident…_

"It's a very straightforward path leading up to the mountain, but you have to follow my exact instructions once we reach the base of the range if you want a chance of reaching the top without stranding yourself. Shen also put warding spells on the monastery so that anyone who happens to make it up there won't be able to actually see the monastery without the spell to get in."

 _That's why my spies were never able to find it. I guess I can't blame Shen for his precaution. It is my fault after all..._

After they had checked out of Ba'ilé Inn, they started making their way through the rest of the bustling city-province. The Winter Festival lasted a whole two weeks, and it had just started, so festivities in the Capital were still going strong. Vendors and storekeepers were just beginning to open their tarps and doors for the fresh batch of happy customers looking to feel the Winter Festival spirit. Soon after the sun had risen, every street, road, and corner of the Capital was buzzing with activity. This was the most populated place in Ionia, holidays or not. The Placidium could be visible to the South from any vantage point in the city, provided it was a clear, sunny day.

As Zed and Akali pushed and shoved their way through the crowds of people, they passed a news vendor. Zed stopped dead in his tracks, pulling Akali towards the small stand.

"Akali stop. Look at this. Apparently the public eye has their sights on him already…"

⬾ _Weekly Capital ⥇_

 _HEADLINES_

" _GOLDEN DEMON" ESCAPES FROM TUUL PRISON_

 _The man known only as the "Golden Demon" has escaped from Tuul prison after nearly ten years. Monks and security working at Tuul prison refuse to give away any information about his escape, though it has been leaked by an anonymous insider that his escape was completely unexpected and he escaped without a struggle. It was only when guards made their rounds the next day that they discovered his empty living quarters. This, coupled with the fact that guard shifts change every six hours starting from 6am, we can surmise that the escape happened sometime at night between 12am and 6am. Because of the Golden Demon's behavior in prison, his escape is being treated as "low priority." This is all we have so far from the Weekly Capital. Stay tuned for more information._

 _\- Ka'el Sohn_

Akali scanned the paragraph quickly. "Damn, he escaped a day earlier than we first thought. Do you think he could be planning something already?"

Zed growled his frustration. "I _know_ he's already up to something. His old tools were confiscated and locked away after he had been imprisoned, but if it's true that he was freed by a Noxian insider, he would be provided with weapons capable of far worse than his previous atrocities."

He tried to keep his hand from trembling as the newspaper crumpled in his fist. "Akali, we have to get to the Kinkou monastery and stop Jhin before he goes on his mad killing spree!"

* * *

 _Somewhere between the Capital and the Kinkou Monastery_

 _Akali_

At first, Akali was perturbed as to why Zed was so hellbent on catching Jhin. After Zed took over the former Kinkou monastery, he was brutal and ruthless, killing anyone who didn't agree with his views of defending Ionia. While he had a cause, there was no reason to believe it was just. There were rumors that his encounter with the Golden Demon caused him to go insane. He was becoming his own Black Demon. It made him no different than Jhin, other than the fact that he was killing Noxians more than anyone else. The murders eventually subsided, replaced with the occasional raid on one of Ionia's many ancient magical artifacts.

Now, however, Akali saw a different side to Zed. In fact, he seemed to resemble her quite a lot. They both hated the restraint that came with holding themselves back and belonging to a strict religious following. They both cast off their chains to defend Ionia in their own way when nobody else stepped up to the plate. However, whereas Akali was still Akali, Zed had given something up when he opened that black box. He used forbidden magic that twisted his mind past the point of sanity. Akali would never give any part of herself up just for strength.

Maybe he was seeking redemption for all the killing he had done in the past, or perhaps he just got sick and tired of seeing so many dead bodies around him. Akali didn't know the reason why he seemed like a completely different person than all of the stories she had heard from her mother, Mayym, the renowned Fist of Shadow. She didn't know the reason, but she didn't care.

 _Eventually, when all of this is over, I'll end his life with my own two hands._

It was a promise she made to herself and her mother, and though they don't see eye to eye anymore, she intends to stay true to her word. For Tahno, her father.

For now, she needed to ignore whatever malice she held in her heart for Zed. If she abandoned her duty to defend Ionia, it would go against everything she ever believed in. Zed would have to wait his turn for the rogue assassin. Khada Jhin and the Noxian bastards came first.

"Alright, we've reached the base of the mountain Zed. Zed?" Akali turned around. Zed stood a few paces from her, staring up at the foreboding mountainside, thousands of feet up to the summit. His brows were furrowed as if he was deep in thought, making him look… _pained?_ Akali waved her hand in front of his face. "C'mon mister good lookin', we have a mountain to scale and a serial killer to catch."

Zed seemed to snap out of his trance-like state. "O-oh. That's right. Serial killer. Mountain…" He blinked several times rapidly, as if trying to remember something. "You know what, you should go up alone Akali. I don't think I'm ready for such a climb yet…"

The lie was blatant and it showed in every part of his body language. Akali crossed her arms. "Really? You think I'm gonna go up there alone after I played girlfriend with you for a whole night and two days? You might have had your disagreements or whatever with Shen and the Kinkou before, but this is bigger. This is about Noxus and Ionia and a serial killer that _you and Shen_ caught. Don't tell me you've chickened out now!"

Zed averted her gaze, looking down at his feet. He said nothing.

Akali groaned in frustration and grumbled to herself. "I can't believe I'm doing this…" She grabbed Zed's hand, pulling it from his side and started dragging him up the gradual incline. Luckily, Zed didn't resist her. "What's your problem? How can the Master of Shadows be afraid of a little mountain?"

"I guess you're right…" Zed shook his head and rubbed his eyes tiredly. Taking a deep breath, he braced himself for the climb ahead. "Okay, let's do this."

Akali led Zed up the first thousand or so feet at a steady clip, as there was no significant obstacle to block them. It was just a steady climb upwards using the natural terrain to move upwards. Even though she knew Zed didn't need any help scaling a mountain such as this, she couldn't help but finding herself helping him up ledges and tricky gaps and jumps. It was strange to think that an outsider was going up the same mountain path as all of her former Kinkou clanspeople. They soon reached the top of the first mountain peak, which consisted of a flat plateau about twenty feet across. On the other side of the plateau was a wide bridge held up with ropes. The bridge extended and stretched upwards into the mist, connecting the first peak to the next. They were still low enough to see the ground, but just barely. The wind was beginning to pick up at this height, chilling Akali to her bones.

Trying to keep her teeth from chattering, Akali went first, feet barely making a sound as she practically danced across the first bridge, like she had so many times in the past. Zed followed closely behind her. They reached the second plateau with no issues. Akali motioned for Zed to stop again.

"Okay Zed listen closely. This is where the climbing gets tricky. Once we cross this second bridge, it's a hard, treacherous path at a steep angle- Zed are you even listening?"

Zed wasn't paying attention. "Zed, if you don't want to do this, I'll go catch Jhin myself. I don't need-"

"Akali. There is something on the bridge and it's coming fast."

Akali froze when she saw the small, glowing form whizzing across the last bridge at an impossible speed. It reached their side of the bridge in an instant, electricity snapping and popping in the air around it. Akali grit her teeth and reached into her satchel for a kunai.

"The Heart of the Tempest. Kennen."

The electricity subsided until it was only the yordles eyes that crackled.

"Working with the enemy Akali… you really have fallen. He's not even a man anymore… just a mere shadow of his former self. Your mother would be ashamed. I'll spare her the trouble and kill you both before you get across this bridge!"

* * *

 **That's it for chapter six, hope you enjoyed reading! If things seem like they're going slow, bear with me. I have a lot of ideas I want to sort out and I don't want things to seem rushed. This is all building up to something bigger, I promise! Have a great week everyone, and GG's! :)**


	7. Chapter 7 - The First Masterpiece

**Warning: Mature themes present in this chapter. Read at your own discretion.**

 _Chapter 7_

* * *

 _Bridge to the Kinkou Monastery_

 _Zed_

"Kennen…" Zed's voice dipped to a throaty growl, filled with metallic echoes as his mask formed over his face. The yordle was a fifth the size of Zed, but stared fiercely back at him, poised in a traditional Kinkou form with a shuriken in hand. "Get out of our way Kennen… we're not here to fight you."

Kennen only seemed to tighten his grip on the shuriken, making it spark and glow an eerie blue. "I swore over Master Kusho's dead body that I would avenge him, no matter what it takes! Do you know how much he and the entire Kinkou order had to go through because of you?! And now my brightest disciple… Akali, how could you do this to us?"

Akali stepped in front of Zed, standing between him and Kennen. "Wait Kennen! This is important. We're not here to fight. There is important news that we have to deliver to Shen!"

"Stand down Akali! After I take care of Zed, I'll deal with you." the yordle snarled bitterly. "I trusted you Zed! I trained and fought alongside you! _We_ trained and fought alongside you!" Tears formed in the little yordle's eyes, but his face was a mask of cold fury.

Akali stood her ground with her feet shoulder width apart, arms crossed. "You were always quick to judge Kennen. We're here to see Shen about the Golden Demon. He escaped from Tuul prison more than a week ago and every moment you waste could be another victim of his."

At this, Kennen gasped, the look of shock on his face completely replacing his previous anger. "No… impossible. The Golden Demon…" His voice fell to a mere whisper as the electricity around him crackled less and less.

"I won't repeat myself. If you truly are the Heart of the Tempest, help us talk to Shen. We can stop Khada Jhin together. Please, Kennen. You know I don't like to ask favors if I can't help it but… you can see that I… _we_ truly want to do this. For Ionia."

Kennen was silent for a moment that dragged on and on to minutes. Finally, he looked up from the ground with renewed passion in his eyes. "Fine, follow me."

Zed let out a sigh of relief, sensing Akali do the same in front of him. "Thank you Kennen. I mean it."

"Zed stays out of the monastery. That is my one condition. When this is over, you and I need to have a chat." Kennen said as he turned around and started to walk across the bridge. Zed opened his mouth to protest but decided against it, given the situation. They were lucky that Kennen didn't engage on them; while it was a two versus one situation, Zed doubted that either of them would come out unscathed. Even the Master of Shadows and the Rogue Assassin were wary of the Heart of the Tempest.

"Besides," Kennen continued as they followed behind him. "Shen has been gone for over two weeks on an obscure mission that nobody knew about. Not even I know what he's been up to. I can try to contact him through the Spirit Realm but he told me to only use it in an absolute emergency."

As they approached the end of the final bridge, Zed could see a wall of mist surrounding the final summit; it was as if a cloud had settled at the very peak of the mountain. Whirling columns of foggy whiteness started to surround them as they reached the wall of mist, condensation forming in the air on Zed's breath. Kennen stopped abruptly just in front of the misty barricade. Closing his eyes, he formed the necessary hand signs to dispel the illusion. The mist suddenly dissipated, slowly fading into ethereal wisps. What greeted Zed's eyes took his breath away.

Unlike the Order of Shadows which was built over a waterfall, the new Kinkou monastery was built in the middle of the wide, flat mountain peak. The various smaller rocky peaks flanking the monastery were home to swirl rocks, a natural formation unique to Ionia. High concentrations of magic above the ground warped the mountain peaks as they grew taller, rearranging the very tops of the massive elevations of stone into beautiful shapes and circular configurations. Zed felt a warm breeze brush some color into his frigid cheeks and fingers. It was as if the illusory spell contained an entirely different world, with the inside of the spell in perpetual Spring. Lush patches of green grass and various colorful flowers grew on the soil surrounding the large central monastery.

The monastery itself was roofed in traditional monastery style, triangular with pointed tops. The roof shingles, wooden walls and all of the doors were painted in a rusty red, with teal and gold trim adorning the edges that formed the outline of the monastery. The other buildings dotting the mountaintop continued the color scheme.

Zed looked away for a second, just enough time to catch Akali staring at the unbelievable spectacle in front of them. The golden light that seemed to emanate from within the containment spell made her eyes shimmer and reflect gossamer threads of light.

A resounding "Ahem!" caused both of them to snap out of their stupor. Kennen stepped from cold, hewn rock onto verdant meadows in a single, tiny yordle stride. "Well, don't just stand there! Akali, you've seen this before. Why so surprised? Has it really been that long since you left us?"

Akali shook her head with a smile on her face. "It just never gets old, seeing something like that just… pop out of nowhere."

Zed thought he caught something akin to regret flash across Akali's face as she finished her sentence. He reached out to her shoulder but she flinched back, blinking a away a memory of days bygone.

"Don't touch me unless absolutely necessary." she snapped.

"Okay, okay. I just thought you hated the Kinkou and everything they stand for."

"I said I hate their ideals and the people, not their monastery. This is the place where I spent a lot of my life in. I don't remember seeing a place that holds more beauty than this. Not in all of Runeterra…"

Before Zed could say anything else, they had reached the front of the monastery. Facing the massive, ornately carved double doors, Kennen placed his palm on the wooden surface. They swung wide open without a sound.

"Damn show off…" Zed heard Akali mutter under her breath.

"Now," Kennen stepped aside and waved for Akali to enter. "Zed. You will be watched while Akali and I try to contact Shen. Try anything funny and you know what'll happen." he snarled. Zed suppressed a laugh. Although he knew that Kennen's threats weren't empty, hearing a yordle trying to sound threatening was like hearing a child trying to be an adult; yordles weren't exactly what one would picture as terrifying.

"That is fine by me. Make it quick, Akali. As much as I'm enjoying not having all of my extremities numbed, we need to make haste."

Akali nodded back at him, and with that, the double doors closed in front of Zed.

* * *

 _Kinkou Monastery_

 _Akali_

Unsurprisingly, nothing changed in the month and a half that Akali was gone. Looking around, Akali saw the familiar banners depicting the three virtues bestowed on the ninja destined to uphold them: Shen _Watches the Stars_ , Kennen _Courses the Sun_ , and Akali was supposed to be _Pruning the Tree_. She shuddered at the thought of her being back under Kinkou sovereignty. Although she loved the sanctuary that was the Kinkou monastery, she swore never again to bend to rules that were made to be broken, never to submit to anyone else's decree. As long as she could think on her own, she was her own master.

She approached the intricately chiseled altar in the center of the monastery's large, main chamber. The lobby branched off into many smaller antechambers that magnified her trained footstep into an echo that reverberated eerily.

"You remember the ritual right? Nevermind that, I will open the portal to the Spirit Realm for the sake of time. If what you say is true, time is the most valuable resource that we don't have. Tell him everything he needs to know in as short a time as- Akali are you listening?"

"Don't worry Kennen. I'll kill Zed with my own two hands. He doesn't know who I am. He would have tried to kill me if he did."

"What? What doesn't he know Akali?" Kennen eyed Akali with interest, enunciating each word with care.

"That I'm her daughter. The Fist of Shadow. I've changed too much for him to recognize me in the past decade.

When Akali turned to face Kennen, he had a look of realization on his face. "You're just using him now. To find Jhin. Akali this… isn't that a bit much? I know who he is and I know the terrible things he's done. I want to end his life as much as anyone else, but tricking him? Manipulating and deceiving him to satisfy your own ends, then you're going to…"

In a sudden burst of anger, Akali yelled at her former acolyte. "I will stop when _I_ think it's too much. Your beliefs don't dictate my actions anymore Kennen! I'm no longer a pawn that Shen is going to move around as he so pleases to maintain the _illusion_ of balance. I'll uphold my _own_ balance, the way _I_ see fit; I'm my own master now."

Kennen shook his head in disbelief at Akali. "You've fallen Akali… he's changed you hasn't he? The same shadows that corrupt Zed's mind, are they invading your mind too?"

"No. I'll never stoop so low as to turn to shadows. Like I said Kennen, in case you weren't listening when I left the Kinkou. I'll use my _own_ strength to save our First Lands. That, you can count on."

Walking up to the central support pillar in the center of the vast lobby, Akali sat down with her legs crossed. Placing her palm on a small carving of Shen on the surface of the wood, she closed her eyes and sighed in apprehension. "Now c'mon, we don't have all day."

 _I'm so not looking forward to seeing Shen again…_

* * *

 _Kinkou Monastery_

 _Zed_

Zed was familiar with the kind of security that orders like the Kinkou employed. He leaned against a gnarled cherry blossom tree, fingering a small petal that had fallen on his shoulder. Closing his eyes, he willed himself into a semi-meditative state. Instantly, he could hear the distinct rise and fall of someone's chest as they breathed. They surrounded him. He counted eighteen in total. Chuckling, he shook his head. A hundred and eighty Kinkou could not catch him if he so wished. Not while he possessed the art of shadows.

The thought suddenly weighted heavily on his mind. He possessed the art of shadows. The ancient, evil magic that possessed _him_ instead of the other way around many years ago. The voices in his dreams and nightmares alike led him down a path of death and destruction, beckoning him to achieve the ultimate goal of a higher existence. Whenever he called upon the power of the shadows, all that was on his mind was hatred, pure and unbridled. It tainted his very soul and filled his soul with contempt. Contempt for the weak. All that was left in his wake in this state was a trail of blood and a pile of dead bodies.

Twirling the leaf in his hand, he let go. Zed watched as the leaf spiraled this way and that, eventually making its way to the ground from whence it came. At first, he loved the power the magic of the black box gave him. It allowed him to fulfill his goal at the time; he overthrew his former master and his ridiculous decrees. The master that refused to let a twisted and rotten soul die for his sins. Even now, he wished that he killed Jhin while he had the chance. However, the more Zed used the dark power, the more he realized that it was like a parasite. It leeched off of his human emotions and turned him into a demon. He was no different than Jhin while the shadows were a part of him.

After his epiphany, he slowly, very slowly, painstakingly tore out the roots that the magic had planted. It took all of his willpower to do so, but eventually, after nearly eight years after the death of his former master, he managed to separate the shadows from his humanity. He trained his mind to draw only on the raw power the darkness, and not the infectious parasite that normally came with it. Only in times of extreme negative emotion did the shadows threaten to creep into his mind once more, but he was able to stave off the invasion every time it came. After learning the news that Jhin had escaped from prison, he was sure the shadows would come back, and he was right. Hate and thoughts of revenge festered in the back of his mind. This time though, it was different. Something positive was keeping the shadows from dragging him into the destructive abyss. An anchor of sorts, a positive outside influence-

The double doors of the monastery opened, snapping Zed out of his self reflection. Straightening his posture, he watched as a sour faced Akali, followed by Kennen, walked down the steps leading from the entrance to the grass. Clearing his throat, Zed spoke.

"Well? How did it go? Were you able to contact Shen?"

"Yeah."

Zed blinked. "And?"

Akali huffed past him hurriedly. "I'll explain later. Let's go. Now."

He looked at Kennen, who merely shrugged. "Don't do anything stupid until she cools off. That's all I'm saying. After all of this boils over and _if_ you manage to catch Jhin and give him the proper justice he deserves, you owe me that chat."

"You're not coming with us Kennen? It would be a great help if we had you along."

Kennen sighed and shook his head. "Nope. Someone has to manage the Kinkou while Shen is gone."

Zed nodded and turned to follow Akali. "I understand."

"Oh, and Zed?"

Pausing, Zed looked back.

"Watch out for yourself."

* * *

 _Unknown Location_

 _Jhin_

"You know, it always bothered me how the human torso has five things just sticking out of it." Khada Jhin tilted the blindfolded woman's chin upwards, savoring the whimpering that came from the pitiful form of his captive. "What was that darling?"

"W-who… _w-what_ are you?" the woman asked with a hoarse, trembling voice. Jhin sighed and shook his head.

"Tsk tsk tsk, I'm ashamed of you. I already explained. I am an _artist_ who uses the human body as his canvas. A _genius_!" Jhin exclaimed, his voice echoing in the dark, dank, musty mill.

Jhin was freed from Tuul prison more than a week ago by a Noxian operative who simply called himself "Talon." Jhin had no idea why he had been freed, but when Talon explained to him that he was going to provide all of the necessary tools to continue making his masterpieces, he didn't care. Now he had full access to Ionia's own Kashuri armory, the only place in Ionia where technology and magic fused together in perfect harmony. It would provide all of the "tools" Jhin needed to craft his master work.

"You're insane! That's what you are! A monster! A… a… a demon…" The woman's strangled sobs did nothing to slow the self-proclaimed virtuoso down as he tightened the ropes that bound her wrists to the side of a massive, empty barrel, held in place by wooden planks on all four sides. He had already checked the ropes three times before, but he couldn't be sure that the ropes would be secure until he had tightened them four times.

"That's what they all called me. You should be honored that you are the first masterpiece I'm going to create in a very, very long time. After I'm finished, you will be… _beautiful_." Jhin reached into his cream colored cloak and pulled out a gun that seemed to hum with life at his touch. Jhin admired the beautifully crafted weapon, running his finger from barrel to hammer, hammer to stock. It held four shots in the chamber, exactly the amount of shots he needed. It didn't matter if he was making one masterpiece or one-hundred. Four shots was enough.

"N-no stop, please! I'll do anything you want! I-I'll get you money! My body! Anything! Just don't shoot me!"

Jhin took four steps away from the woman, then turned on his heel. "I have everything I want right here." He scanned the woman's naked body up and down with meticulous eyes. She was a poor, young maid whom he had taken from some unfortunate household, but she had the body of an angel. Her breasts had not yet succumbed to the effects of age, and at a glance, her slim waistline, coupled with wide enough hips would be attractive to any average passerby.

Jhin was no average passerby.

"Besides, I'm not really into symmetry." Jhin continued as he cocked the hammer of the gun, savoring the _clunk_ it made as he pulled it all the way back.

The woman's lips trembled, tears pouring down her face. "No… please…"

"When they find you they, too, will _cry_."

Jhin pulled the trigger, filling the inside of the mill one flash of light.

A second flash.

A third.

A fourth.

* * *

 **I apologize for the long wait on this chapter, I was really busy (ab)using bruisers in ranked ;) Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed creating it! Buckle your seatbelts because we're in for a loooong ride. I have a ton of stuff planned for the next chapter, and I can't wait to get it all out. Anyways, thank you all for reading! :)**


	8. Chapter 8 - Enter the Noxian Assassin

_Chapter 8_

* * *

 _Somewhere in the Shon-Xan Forest_

 _Shen_

"Master Kusho… I will soon have to face the man who killed you. I will soon have to face my best disciple who threw away all that I have taught her. All the things you have taught me. I will soon have to face the demon of our own creation. An unstoppable, insatiable demon. You have always guided me when you were still with us. How should I go about this? You would know exactly what to do… father."

" _You know exactly what to do Shen. You don't need my guidance anymore. You are the Eye of Twilight. Both the living and spirits could not begin to imagine the burden that is, but I know you can handle it."_

"But _fa'ir_ … how can I handle this when I can barely handle the monastery? I dutifully uphold _Watching the Stars_ , but I have lost _Pruning the Tree_. Once I left our sacred home, I sensed something shift in the equilibrium. Lo and behold, not three weeks after I left on a reconnaissance mission, the Golden Demon is loose and the Master of Shadows shows up with my lost pupil at our doorstep. Something big is coming, father. I cannot do this without you."

" _Oh but you must, my dear erzai. You must embrace your brother once again. You must be Akali's stepping stones on her own path, if that is what she so desires. It is your duty to uphold balance Shen, even when others refuse to."_

"But… father I can't…not without you."

" _I have to face this, I cannot that. Shen, what has been done has been done. You are too focused on what has been and what will be. Instead, you must focus on what_ _ **is**_ _."_

"I… don't understand father. What does it mean to focus on what _is_?"

" _I must go son. The spirit realm calls to me. If I stay any longer, it will be months instead of weeks until you can see me again."_

"Wait! Just one more thing-"

The rustle of leaves heralded the arrival of the spirit winds, and where the ethereal, purple image of Kusho once existed was now nothing more than a small pile of bone dust, and even that heralding the end of the ritual used to contact those who were deceased in the Spirit World.

" _Fa'ir…_ "

Shen sat in silence, hands on his lap and head bowed to the ground.

* * *

 _~ One week later ~_

 _Island of Zhyun - Near the weaponsmithing city of Kashuri_

 _Akali_

"Yeah… this is the place. Even without a map, it was easy to find it. It reeks of hextech magic…"

Akali and Zed stood atop a large rock formation jutting out from the side of Zhyun mountains, observing the snaking path of the sparkling river flow next to the urban sprawl of the outskirts of Kashuri. The steaming, smoking urban outskirts of the town grew quickly into vast factories and buildings dedicated solely to construct weapons. Finally, looming in the distance, the Kashuri Armory stood like a behemoth bellowing its eerie song of death and carnage, challenging all who dare face it. Hard angles and the sharp geometry of the massive structure rejected traditional Ionian design and was more reminiscent of Noxian architecture, something Akali loathed about the building.

"That armory looks more like Noxus every time I see it. The outskirts where the workers live keep shrinking, and that armory keeps growing," Zed scowled, mirroring Akali's thoughts.

"Yeah… I hate to see it. The natural beauty of Ionia tainted by technology and her magic used to fashion weapons. And the people… that's the worst part. I have heard rumors about the people that disappear if they try and move out of its borders."

Zed grunted in agreement. Out of the corner of her eye, Akali watched Zed. They had ditched their Winter Festival attire in lieu for their regular ninja garb: Zed in his undersuit and armor and Akali in her minimalistic wraps. On his face was as usual, a mostly neutral frown; Akali could never get a true read on what Zed was feeling, but she always sensed that there was something else behind the perpetual half scowl. It wasn't the scowl per se; that was just the structure of his face, but there seemed to be other emotions brewing behind his eyes.

So far in their travels, Zed was an enigma, completely different from what she had heard from others. The Kinkou obviously despised him and vilified him to the maximum, even going so far as to say that he has become the next Golden Demon. In general, the people that she met in Ionia and even some merchants from Shurima and Demacia spoke about Zed with a negative connotation. Yet, here she was, working alongside the infamous Master of Shadows to catch a serial killer. He was surprisingly gentle and not as… dark as Akali expected. Aside from his funny way of speaking reminiscent of Shen, Zed was actually beginning to earn Akali's respect. He was also annoyingly charming. Was it ironic? Yes, Akali thought. Was it worth not trying to kill him when they first met?

 _Only time will tell I guess…_

"Shen said that he would be at the White Cliffs Inn approximately a week from when you last spoke with him, right?" Zed's voice forced her from her thoughts back to reality. "We're about a day behind, we should hurry."

As Zed turned from the ominous town, Akali placed her hand on his pauldron,

"Wait, Zed. I know this is far too early but… I have a question for you."

"Hmm…? What is it?"

Hesitating for a second, Akali continued.

"If we were to capture and bring justice to Jhin, would you help me sabotage the Kashuri Armory? Just a hypothetical question…"

Zed raised an eyebrow at her, as if she said something worth his suspicion.

"S-sorry, it's a stupid question I know-"

"Of course I will help you sabotage Kashuri. Why do you think it's a stupid question Akali?"

Akali was taken aback, but she quickly wiped any surprise that showed on her face.

"To be honest, I didn't expect that answer. Your whole dark, brooding thing kinda makes you unapproachable to people who don't know you, no offense."

With a sigh, Zed… smiled? For the first time, Akali saw Zed truly smile.

"What? Is it that funny?"

Zed shook his head with a grin on his face.

"Out of all the things you could have said about me, you said that I am unapproachable. I am relieved Akali. It's… well, I didn't expect that answer either."

Akali could not help but smile at Zed's reply. Her smile quickly turned into a giggle, which then escalated into a laugh. Zed made no attempt to suppress his own laughter. They both shook with mirth at the way their conversation went, and the utter ridiculousness of the situation. Akali snorted with the intensity of her laughter, only making them shake more as they clutched their sides.

"Hahaha… please, Akali… stop…"

"I-I can't stop… you stop laughing first!" Akali managed to wheeze.

Eventually, the sound of their laughter subsided, and they were left with smiles on their faces. An awkward silence fell upon them. Akali licked her lips and tapped her foot. Moments ticked by until Zed cleared his throat.

"We should get going, it would do us no good to laugh if we don't rid ourselves of the reason we weep."

They started again at a brisk pace down the mountain path towards the river that led to the sea where White Cliffs Inn was located.

"That was… surprisingly poetic Zed. Have you ever thought of retiring from the whole "Master of Shadows" thing and becoming an author?" Akali said jokingly to Zed. "I think it'd suit you."

"Huh, maybe I will after this whole thing is over… I guess we'll have to see."

"You aren't seriously considering that are you? You, Zed, a writer? Please. I can see a yordle growing taller than a Luonn-Kon before you ever become a writer."

"Speaking of Luonn-Kon, there are some well known ones along this path if my memory serves me right. I am assuming you've seen a Luonn-Kon before?"

Akali nodded. "Of course I have. So giant stone golems huh? We shouldn't encounter any more obstacles then. Paths that the Luonn-Kon are found on are free from troublemakers. We can go as fast as we want! Let's go catch ourselves a serial killer!"

* * *

 _Noxus - The Immortal Bastion_

 _Darius_

Looking down at the extensive military personnel marching in lines on the grounds below him, Darius grunted in satisfaction. The massive regiment was given to him by General Swain in preparation of the second invasion of Ionia. While most of his troops were trained and equipped like any other Noxian soldier, he was allowed to handpick a small handful of Noxians that would accompany him on his own personal assault team. They didn't have to be soldiers. While Darius led from the backline, his elite team would carry out orders issued directly from Darius. He had yet to assemble his team. However, he had a good idea of the kind of people he needed.

 _Draven will be there of course, but that's a given_ Darius thought as he headed towards the elevator that would take him down to ground floor.

 _I will also need someone who is capable of matching those wretched ninja and wuju masters…_

 _I will need an assassin of my own._

Reaching ground level, the elevator doors opened and he was greeted with the sight of a thousand soldiers saluting to him.

"General Darius!" a thousand voices echoed all at once. It was deafening, but Darius was not bothered. He knew from experience that a loud army was a motivated one. A motivated army with high morale tends to succeed more often, no matter what the circumstances are.

"At ease soldiers!" Darius' voice reverberated throughout the huge marching grounds. Every soldier knew that when the great general spoke, he commanded absolute attention. "I am not a man of many words. I hope most of you know that already, but I think the occasion calls for it." Pausing for effect, Darius looked around at his soldiers.

"All of you know why you are here. All of you took an oath the moment you stepped foot onto Noxian soil, an oath to either live by Noxus' blade… or die trying to oppose it. If you are here, I don't need to worry about the latter. Each and every one of you is a proud Noxian, willing to give life and receive death for the benefit of the greater whole. Do not mistake this as a way of telling you to go forth and die at a moment's notice." At this point, the tension in the mass of people was palpable. Darius grinned at the atmosphere surrounding the soldiers. It was one of pride and bloodlust; his soldiers would follow him to the afterlife if needed.

"No, survive for as long as you can on the battlefield so that if… _when_ you finally knock on death's door, no matter who you are, Noxus will be grateful for all that you have done. We are different for this reason. We are different from every other nation on Runeterra. It does not matter where you come from, who you are. In Noxus, strength is above all! Of course, you already know these words so I have but one more thing to say to you all."

They knew the words that were about to come out of his mouth. A thousand breaths were held as the soldiers waited for their general to speak.

"Noxus will rise!"

The wave of roars reverberated throughout the hallways of the Immortal Bastion like a flood through the streets of a city.

* * *

 _Du Couteau Estate_

 _Unknown_

 _Live and die by the blade… how long has it been since he disappeared? The only other assassin to ever match me, The Blade's Shadow… Master Du Couteau, I am not a spiritual man but if you are watching me from somewhere, I ask for your good graces. This will be the most challenging task out all that has been bestowed upon me, and it isn't even an order from you… I was asked… no,_ _ **demanded**_ _by the High Council to assist General Darius in the second invasion of Ionia. It appears that he needs my expertise and requested that I join his personal squad. I have no obligation to General Darius but how could I refuse? Not even I could disobey direct orders and escape from Noxus unscathed…_

The assassin tossed a tri-pointed dagger into the air, watching the light shimmer and reflect as it spun into the apex of it's ascent.

 _I will find you Master Du Couteau… I swear by my blade that I will not fail, or my name isn't Talon Du Couteau!_

* * *

 **Hello all! I was wondering if this is an appropriate story for some mature *cough cough* content. I think if done correctly, it could enhance the relationships between characters to another level, but as this is my first fic, I have never written anything like that before. If everyone is okay with it, I will try my best to appeal to all audiences!**

 **As always, any and all constructive criticism is appreciated! I hope you all are enjoying the story so far. Until next time!**


	9. Chapter 9 - The First Deaths

**Note: This chapter takes place somewhere in and sometimes meshes with the short story "Golden Excellence" by Odin Shafer. However, I did change some aspects of the content for the sake of simplicity and to better match my story and timeline. While not necessary, I highly recommend reading that story before continuing with this chapter. It is a short, but enjoyable read. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter of Shadow of a Man!**

 **WARNING: Graphic content present in this chapter. Read at your own discretion.**

 _Chapter 9_

* * *

 _White Cliffs Inn_

 _Jhin_

"You're sure all of the arrangements have been prepared in their proper places?" Jhin adjusted his mask for the fourth time in the mirror. Only after he had fixed the position of his asymmetrical mask four times could he be sure that it fit on his face perfectly. No more, no less.

A soprano voice answered from just outside the restroom door. "Of course mister, just like Ayda told you earlier. Have you seen her by the way? She didn't answer when I knocked on her door earlier."

"No," replied Jhin in a casual tone. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just that you're the last person that she talked to I think… I just thought you would know."

Unbeknownst to the maid waiting for him just outside the door, Jhin's face had a wicked smile under his mask. Continuing in his carefully casual voice, Jhin made up an excuse for her absence.

"She's probably just tired. Serving me and my Art _is_ very time consuming and requires a lot of effort you know. I did teach her a little art lesson just before we parted though." Jhin could not help but stifle a laugh under his breath. It was not entirely a lie at least, he thought. He _did_ in fact give her an art lesson. A lesson about his Art to be precise.

Peering at himself one final time through the right eye socket, Jhin sighed in satisfaction. His breath condensed on the interior of his mask and made it hard for him to breath, but Jhin liked it that way.

No, he _adored_ it that way. He could only perform at his best like this. It was all part of his grand work in progress that he was going to unveil later that night.

 _A white lantern every four yards, a red lantern every sixteen._

 _How lovely!_

The maid outside coughed and her voice cracked when she spoke again. "M-mister… you know this is not the place to have maids serve you… in that way…"

Turning from the beautiful being in the mirror, he grabbed his cane and opened the door. "Hush now darling, I only teased her."

The maid widened her eyes at the sight of Jhin. He was disappointed that she hid her reaction well, unlike Ayda. He knew at that moment, when she became a part of his piece later, her death would not elicit as much pleasure as Ayda's death had. Making sure his pearly cream cloak covered the huge mass on his right shoulder and the holster on his hip, he walked past the maid, twirling his cane. It was almost showtime!

"Don't worry darling, this is all part of the performance! You'll see later on tonight. It plays an integral part in the finale"

"O-oh, I see! I'm looking forward to it mister!" The maid looked as if she wanted to say something else. "

"Is there something bothering you?"

"Will you be fine in that mask…? It has no hole for your mouth."

"Come now, I'll make sure you get a front row seat! And don't worry about my mask dear. Art is worth the pain."

* * *

 _Unknown location somewhere near White Cliffs Inn_

 _Zed_

The trickle of a passing stream filled the air with a peaceful ambiance that eased Zed's troubled mind. They were getting close to the location Shen told them to meet him, but he didn't think he was prepared to face the thoughts he had been pushing to the back of his mind for the past few years. A few years after Kusho's death, he and Shen had reached a shaky accord, albeit indirectly; their messengers did all the talking and shaking of hands. He didn't actually see Shen since that fateful night almost a decade ago. Zed furrowed his brow and shook his head at the bitter memory. How would Shen react to seeing him after all this time? Had Shen forgiven him? Of course not, but would Shen hold malice in his heart for his former brother? Thoughts swam in his head with only the sound of the stream and their footsteps to distract him.

"Is something bothering you?"

Zed blinked in surprise and wondered if it was his imagination that made the normally rough voice uncharacteristically soft. He looked at Akali, still blinking.

"Uh, what? Excuse me, could you repeat that?"

With a smile, Akali shrugged.

"I said, is something bothering you?"

With her question repeated, Zed was sure it wasn't his imagination working overtime.

"Oh. I… I uhh…" Zed's thoughts couldn't keep up with his words. "It's… well…"

Akali smiled at him.

"You don't have to tell me y'know, I was just asking because your dark and brooding face is even darker than it usually is."

Zed looked down at the ground in front of him. He had forgotten that they no longer had their masks on around each other.

"Sorry. It's just a little… complicated? It's not that I don't want to tell you. I'm not sure that I can put what I'm thinking into words."

"I see…"

They continued on in silence for a good while before either of them spoke again.

"It's about Shen, right?"

Zed stopped momentarily in bewilderment. How did she hit the nail on the mark? As if to answer his question, Akali folded her arms and looked him in the eyes.

"It wasn't that hard to guess y'know. Even though you're almost impossible to read, I know the look of someone who has something troubling them. That, and the fact that we're going to meet Shen. Tonight."

A cool breeze began to permeate the early afternoon air, wind blowing through the natural chimes of the forest, filling the atmosphere around them with sounds unrecognizable with human ears.

"Yeah… I think I know of a way to tell you, if you don't mind a bit of a story that is."

Akali merely nodded her head for him to continue. Zed took a deep breath.

"That night…

* * *

 _Nine Years Ago_

 _That night, the rain battered the roof with the full force of the northerly gale. Master Kusho lit the incense one by one, until the room was filled with the aroma of fragrant smoke. Getting down on his knees, he closed his eyes with a sigh. The scent of incense wafted up his nostrils, and he breathed it in deeply. It cleared his sinuses and helped him think clearly. The sound of thunder echoing outside and the rattling sliding doors did nothing to his crystal focus. Kusho knew that this would be the night. He had seen miniscule glimpses of tonight many many times before, both in his dreams and from visions of the spirit world. The universe had funny ways of showing him things, and it rarely was easy to interpret or understand what it presented, but Kusho knew. His former disciple would come, and he would come in force for the dark secret buried deep in the catacombs of the monastery: one of the most powerful magical artifacts on all of Ionia, and possibly Runeterra._

 _The Eye of Twilight's breathing slowed to a mere few breaths per minute, allowing him to hone his focus solely on hearing, and a the tiniest emphasis on smell; this was one of his most defining natural talents as the master of the Kinkou Monastery, was part of what made him so powerful and revered. His mastery of sensory deprivation and endowment was unparalleled._

 _With his sight, touch, and taste totally gone, he could hear every single drop of rain hit the ground and every particle of wind blow against every tree and rock. Without proper training, this level of perception could quickly overwhelm a person's mind, but Master Kusho had overcome all of those obstacles. He blocked out the unnecessary rain and wind, and concentrated on the sounds that mattered. Searching the surrounding area like a bat using echolocation, he soon found what he was searching for: footsteps, and a lot of them._

 _Kusho could not feel the bead of sweat rolling lazily down his forehead, for he was too busy trying to find one particular set of footsteps. They were the quietest, but also the loudest. Physically, they were almost effectively silent, but those footsteps held the weight of dozens of men's worth of hatred and animosity. Those footsteps belonged to Zed._

 _Zed was also performing his own searching, although at a much lower level than his former master. He was moving as slow as he could while maintaining a steady pace; concentrating this hard while trying to move, let alone walk, was nauseating. It got better as they got closer, however. Zed could tell that Kusho had put out all the lights in the Monastery told everyone to go barefoot that night. He somehow knew that Zed was coming this exact date, but he knew that the old geezer could predict certain events through the Spirit World. It didn't matter. His army had grown immensely and now stood armed with a force of over three hundred men and women, all ready to die for his cause. They all shared Zed's hate for Noxian invaders and the great pride and respect he had for Ionia, and they knew that they wouldn't let notions of balance and Kusho's so called "harmony" get in their way._

 _And Shen. Shen, his former brother by bond and the person he respected most, now dispassionate and sober, blindly following his father's foolish footsteps instead of listening to his own heart. Weak._

 _Zed quickened his pace, letting the entirety of his senses return. He was going to face the entirety of the Kinkou monastery, so he needed to conserve as much energy as he could for the inevitable battle. Looking down at himself, he checked if he had everything he needed one final time. There were no room for mistakes, not tonight. His army was wearing simple but effective basic black ninja gi with bamboo fibers interwoven into the fabric to improve strength, and Zed donned the same clothing but with added metal pauldrons and gauntlets with retractable blades built into their design. Zed came prepared to kill. In addition to his combat gear, a traditional ninja whistle was present tied to his waist, rattling and bouncing around. He would use this to start his attack._

 _Suddenly, Zed motioned for his followers to stop. They were very close now. In response to a swift gesture, the small army split up into three groups, just as rehearsed. Two of the groups would continue past the monastery until they were behind it, while Zed led the main group in a frontal charge. A three way pincer. Kusho would have to surrender the black box, there was no doubt in Zed's mind. He cared too much about the family he raised not to yield._

 _Zed waited a few minutes to allow his flanking groups ample time to get into position. Now, it was time. Thunder periodically drowned out the waves of rain and it was right after one of these deafening moments when Zed decided to blow the whistle. A single, high pitched whine filled the night air for a few seconds. What ensued afterwards was utter chaos. The screams, they filled the night air… t-the rain did nothing to dampen the terrible sound… and later when I held the Black Box I-_

"Zed? Zed! Snap out of it!"

Akali's voice transported him back to the present, to reality. Zed blinked rapidly, looking at his surroundings. The dark, frigid night turned into sun rays beaming through the trees, as if he were in a Demacian fairy tale. The sound of rain and gusts and… the screams were replaced by the chirping of birds and the trickle of a stream, but Zed thought he could still hear the faint echoes of a man's voice begging for mercy…

"Akali. I… I apologize. I don't know what came over me." Zed clenched his fists tightly to stop himself from trembling.

"Jeez… I said you didn't have to tell me if you didn't want to."

Zed gulped and took a shaky breath, telling himself mentally that he was _here_ , here in the present, and not nine years in the past. He didn't notice the wisps of blackness seeping like tendrils from his armor.

* * *

 _White Cliffs Inn_

 _Akali_

Sullenly, Akali crossed her arms and leaned against the hollowed out trunk that comprised the walls of the White Cliffs Inn, painfully aware of occasional look and passing glance pointed in her direction. This time, they had no time for disguises, so there she was, Akali, the Rogue Assassin, for everyone to see. While she doubted that _everyone_ knew who she was, there was no doubt that at least some people would recognize the messy ponytail, the deep green mask sitting around her neck, and of course, the dragon tattoo. And people talk. Even if they didn't know what she looked like, they soon would hear from the people that did know. Even then, if they didn't know Akali, surely they'd notice Zed right? With a snort, she rolled her eyes. At least he didn't have to wait out in the lobby.

 _How long is he gonna take anyways? Talking to Shen can't take that long, can it? Hell, I bet if I walk into that room right now, they're having make-up sex._

Akali blinked confusedly and shook her head as if to get rid of the unsavory thought. The Master of Shadows and his ex-brother the Eye of Twilight making out passionately in a privately reserved room wasn't exactly the thought she needed right now.

 _What the actual fuck Akali… I swear you're not going to a good place in the Spirit Realm when you die._

Rubbing her eyes, Akali sighed and slumped tiredly against the smooth, debarked wood. The cool surface felt refreshing against her bare shoulders, despite it being Winter. While travelling all day wasn't exactly physically demanding for the assassin, her thoughts bothered her more than she would like. No less than two hours ago, she witnessed Zed nearly having something along the lines of a mental breakdown trying to tell his story, and twenty minutes ago, she had to face Shen for the first time since she renounced the Kinkou. It wasn't a pleasant meeting. She didn't feel sorry or anything, she just didn't want to see his face so soon after she gave him a certain obscene hand gesture the last time she saw him…

Without warning, all of the lamps illuminating the interior of the inn dimmed. More from instinct than decision, Akali was instantly crouched, hand at her satchel.

 _Shit, I was distracted. Did someone call the village defenders on me? Did they recognize Zed? It can't be Noxians right…? We're close to Noxus occupied territory though…_

Option after option, Akali contemplated which one was most likely as her eyes adjusted to the dimness. A loud voice outside cleared her suspicion.

"Everybody welcome to the weekly White Cliffs Inn art show, where we showcase pieces of art submitted by our guests and staff alike. This time, there's a few pieces featuring our very own Ayda and Mishan with a special guest appearance!"

General applause followed the announcer's introduction, whom Akali thought was most likely the inn owner. He sounded elderly. Akali sighed in relief, feeling her muscles relax. She wasn't exactly in the mood to put up with trouble. Outside, the announcer continued.

"We apologize for the guests who do not know the proud tradition of this inn; we dim the various plant lights throughout the inn to enhance the experience off the art viewers."

 _Tch, sounds tacky to me… shoulda warned us before hand._

"... without further ado, here are the first displays!"

Akali drowned the ensuing oohs and ahhs from the guests and slumped back to her previous position. She really wished that Zed and Shen would finish soon.

* * *

 _White Cliffs Inn_

 _Shen_

 _He stopped a mere centimeter from my blade's reach. Even after all these years, some things never change…_

A bowl of five-flavor broth sat still and untouched on the table. The delicious, savory aroma found no sinuses to please with Zed and Shen in the room.

Shen regarded Zed with a critical eye. This was the first time he'd seen the person he had considered his brother and best friend in nine years. Their orders had clashed many times following the murder of Master Kusho, but Shen never got the chance to see Zed face to face after that night. There were dark circles under his once vibrant and passionate eyes, but now, the dark red orbs seemed to cry without tears. He stood before the man he once called brother, still trying to keep his hand from pulling the Spirit Blade from its sheath. Still trying to find the love he had lost for his friend.

"Shen."

Shen grimaced ever so slightly at the sound of his voice.

"You know we can't find him and give him the justice he deserves without each other."

"Zed…"

There were no words needed as they stared into each others' eyes. The silent conversation that they exchanged was clearer than anything speech could have achieved. Shen knew he needed Zed as much as Zed need him, but things were far from over between them. They would settle things after they caught Jhin.

"How amusing that you would speak of justice, bringer of darkness and death."

"How eloquently spoken Shen… I guess some things never change." Zed's words echoed Shen's thoughts.

"However, as expressive as your pretty words are, words can't help us. We need to act now and act fast, before this gets out of hand. If I can prevent more than… no, if I can spare even a single life from him… I would be happy."

Shen was surprised to hear the pain in Zed's words when he spoke. Even though Zed had once mindlessly killed many people before, he now seemed genuinely concerned for the wellbeing of Ionians, and not just people who followed him. Had some things changed after all? Maybe Zed saw the error in his ways and was trying to atone for them. Shen sighed wistfully. Nothing Zed does now will redeem him. Not now, not ever, but one can hope.

"Do you need anything? Any bowls that need to be replaced?"

The door behind Zed opened and the waitress was greeted to the mirror shine of one blade and the purplish-blue glow of another. The broth trembled slightly with their sudden movement, then settled. Zed and Shen both looked at each other for a second, then hastily put their weapons away.

"S-sorry… we thought you were someone uhh…"

"We apologize for pointing our weapons at you… we couldn't take any-"

Without a sound, the waitress slumped to the floor. Shen dashed forward and caught her before she fell.

"Aiya… we have caused too much trouble to the innkeeper and the servants here, we should leave at the crack of dawn tomorrow. If she wakes up and tells everyone who we are…"

Zed snorted, rolling his eyes. "What? She just fainted. I doubt she'd wake up so soon after."

"But still, Jhin could have eyes and ears anywhere in Ionia for all we know, now that Noxus is backing him u-"

Before he could finish, a loud bang and a bloodcurdling scream filled the air.

"AIIIIEEEEEE!"

Without a word, Shen and Zed were out of the room in an instant. A second bang followed the first sound, followed by another, and a fourth thump, louder than the previous ones.

 _What the hell is going on out there? It sounds like miniature explosions! Father, please tell me this isn't what I think it is…_

Bursting through the cloths that fell from the top of the entranceway, Shen and Zed looked around, quickly scanning the area. They both froze at the sight that awaited them.

Two maids were strapped- _nailed_ back to back on a large wooden pole, blood pouring from where they were pierced by metal stakes. The pole slowly turned, as if spinning on a turntable. Shen felt his stomach lurch when he saw their heads, or, what remained of them. Smoke and blood alike spewed from the holes where their eyes had once been. As they were back to back, whatever caused the carnage travelled through one maid, through the wooden pole, and finally, out of the other maid. The flesh on their cheeks were tattered and burnt, their jaws shattered and unhinged by whatever projectile blasted through their throats. Finally, a huge, gaping cavity was present where their hearts would roughly be. Bones, organs and everything between hung from the large holes like meat at a butcher's caravan. The blood pooling on the ground quickly reached Shen's feet, and he even though he didn't eat anything, he felt his stomach lurch once again. He turned to Zed, who was still staring at the appalling scene before them. When he spoke, his voice wavered slightly.

"No doubt about it Shen. There's only one man who could be capable of…"

He didn't need to finish. Shen knew as well as Zed. This was the work of Khada Jhin.

The Golden Demon was back.


	10. Chapter 10 - Lotus Blossom

**WARNING: Mild graphic content present in this chapter. Read at your own discretion.**

 _Chapter 10_

* * *

 _White Cliffs Inn_

 _Akali_

Akali couldn't believe her eyes.

Sure she was an assassin, and had seen messy deaths before, but this was different. This was not the most efficient way to kill a target. This was carnage, pure bloodshed. She had never seen death so destructive before. Explosions had gone off when people tried to run. She forced her muscles to move. This wasn't the right time to freeze up. Deep down, her instincts told her everything she needed to know. This was the work of a monster.

 _Is this… Khada Jhin?_

Her body moved but her mind couldn't. The image of the corpses were stuck in her head like an annoying song as she ran to Zed and Shen, who seemed equally in shock. Zed was the first to recover.

"Akali, Shen," he managed to whisper. His voice was hoarse. "We need to find him. Now."

Something in his voice snapped Akali out of her stupor. Was it fear she heard in Zed's voice? No, it was undeniable… rage, and there was fire in Akali's blood too. Someone who murders like this… Akali bit her lip until she tasted blood. She would kill him. She would take his life with her own hands. She couldn't care less about Zed or Shen right now, but as of this moment, she was going to find Jhin and kill him herself. Nobody fucks with her people and gets away with it.

She looked at the bodies of the maids one last time, burning the sickening image into her mind. She burned the image of raw, burnt flesh and the smell of burning meat into her soul. She would never forget this horror, this monstrosity. Someone had made a macabre art show out of human beings. Living, breathing flesh. She took a step. She needed to find the Golden Demon now. A firm hand on her shoulder stopped her.

Akali turned her head and glared at Shen.

"Don't fucking touch me. I'll kill you too if you get in my way."

"Akali, listen, I know how you feel but we need to work together on this one, trust me."

"Don't you _dare_ talk to me about how I feel… you have no idea Shen."

She felt his grip lessen as he recoiled slightly. He better completely let go, and he better do it fast. Akali wouldn't let Shen of all people stop her. I he got in her way, she'd have to get rid of him too. Her voice trembled as she spoke.

"Whoever did this… Golden Demon or not, I'll hunt them down myself and slaughter them!"

Zed pushed Shen aside, gesturing for him to leave. He stood mere inches from Akali's face.

"We truly do understand how you feel Akali… the first time we saw a murder committed by him… we both lost something that day. Only Kusho had the strength to-"

"Out of my way Zed! If you don't move, I'll _make_ you move," Akali hissed at him, glaring defiantly into his crimson eyes.

"Akali, please stop. Slaughtering people isn't what you do. You want to protect the people of Ionia, yes? Look around you…"

For the first time, Akali noticed that many people who were watching the art showcase before were still present. All eyes were on her.

"They want to look up to us Akali… when things like this happen in Ionia, when they cannot defend themselves, we ninja, along with the Wuju masters are who they depend on. I'm not saying that Ionians can't defend themselves. I'm saying that we should set an example for the people of Ionia, don't you agree?"

Zed spoke the truth. Akali couldn't deny a word he had just uttered, and she hated it.

"Why?"

Zed cocked his head at her. "Why?"

The moment lingered for awhile before Akali finally spoke.

"Why can't I do things on my own for once… why can't I be right? Why? I don't understand… Why do you have to be so fucking right…"

Akali felt her breath catch in her chest as she shoved past Zed.

"Akali wait!"

"Zed, you said it yourself that we have to find this guy immediately right? We can't let Shen go after him alone." Taking a deep breath, Akali calmed her heart rate and closed her eyes. "If we're going to catch him, he's gonna need our help." The corner of her mouth curled upwards and she looked back at Zed. "C'mon, this bastard isn't gonna kill himself."

Zed looked surprised, but grinned grimly and nodded.

"Let's go get him."

* * *

 _White Cliffs Inn_

 _Shen_

Panic and chaos. This overwhelming feeling of helplessness. For years, Shen felt like this while he was chasing Jhin down with Master Kusho and Zed. Shen never let his emotions get the better of him after Kusho spared Jhin. He did everything in his power, every measure and precaution possible, to never again have this feeling. He followed his father's teachings and did everything he could to maintain balance, both externally and mentally. Yet, here he was, amidst the smoke and embers, body parts, and the lingering sense of magic, frustrated and shocked that he wasn't able to save a single person.

After the initial shock of discovering Ayda and Mishan's bodies, staff and guests alike tried to flee through the various exits throughout the White Cliffs Inn, only to be blown to shreds by some kind of explosive discharge from the ground. Immediately, Shen knew that these too, were planned by Jhin; when the explosions went off, the smoke was a brilliant pink and purple color, and what Shen previously thought was some sort of magic revealed itself to be sparkling pieces of confetti.

 _If only… if only I went through the doors first… if only I didn't just stand there gawking at Jhin's "work." In exchange for my life, perhaps a dozen more could have been spared…_

Shen couldn't shake the morbid thoughts from his head as he helped evacuate the remaining people from the inn. His body was on autopilot. It was as if the hell from all those years ago were coming back to haunt him, the worst kind of deja vu. The same feeling of disbelief he felt when he first saw one of Jhin's murders. It _changed_ him.

They had tried to search for Jhin after they discovered the initial two bodies but to no avail, as expected. He struck much sooner than any of them had anticipated. Shen had tried to isolate Jhin's essence, his footsteps and breathing pattern, but Shen was too distracted and couldn't concentrate. On top of that, Jhin was a master of disguises. He was probably the best one in all of Runeterra. He could control the individual muscles on his face to create any smile or frown and everything in between. This was part of the reason why it took so long for them to find him years ago. Even Master Kusho could not isolate him within a crowd of people. Even when Jhin was physically alone and unarmed, he slipped past them. Now, Shen had no idea how they were going to track him down without Kusho's help.

Looking around, some of the tree that the White Cliffs Inn was a part of had blown off in the explosions. Unsurprisingly, there were no fires that started as a result of the mines. It wasn't Jhin's style to let fire spread. It was not that he was above using it, it was that Jhin was a control freak. His "art" had to be planned meticulously; one could be sure that no detail could be left out when dealing with the Golden Demon.

Something tugged vigorously at his pant leg. He looked down.

"Mister… help. _O-fa_ is trapped… please!"

The small boy was breathing heavily, lips split and bleeding in several places, scratches ran down the left side of his face. He had a gash on the left side of his forehead, caked with dirt, blood, and perspiration, partially obscured by a tangled mop of shoulder length hair. The bright green gems that were his eyes shone with determination. "My grandfather is trapped under a piece of the inn!"

"Where? Hurry and guide me to him and I will try my best, boy."

The boy led him through around the perimeter of the inn, still smoking in several places where the highest concentration of mines had cruelly ripped into the walls and left black marks in the ground.

"P-Pel… Pel where are you…?" a hoarse voice barely reached Shen's ears, somewhere to his right, under a pile of charred wood. A hand stuck out of the far side of the pile, covered in blood.

" _O-O'fa_! I got help! We'll save you!"

Spurred on by the frail, soft voice and the urgent voice of the boy, Shen knelt by the pile and grabbed the largest piece of wood. Putting his full weight against it, he dug his feet into the ground and pushed. The large chunk dug splinters into his exposed fingers, but he shoved with all his strength. The mass of wood moved inch by inch, slowly uncovering a head covered by gray hair. Shen redoubled his efforts. Finally, the piece of timber rolled onto the ground with a dull thud, revealing a small, face down figure. Shen and the boy both rushed to the old man's side.

" _O-fa_! _O-fa_!" Pel cried out, holding his grandfather's hand. "Will he be all right?"

"I can't tell yet, I'll have to pull him out of the rest of the wood first. Give me a hand!"

Shen wriggled one arm under the man's body, lifting him slightly as his other arm pushed debris out of the way, with Pel helping as much as he could. With some careful maneuvering of the man's body, Shen turned him over onto his back. Holding his fingers to the man's neck, Shen felt for a pulse. With a sigh of relief, he turned to the tiny figure next to him.

"He is alive at least. Externally, he seems to have some scratches and heavy bruising, and when I moved him, I couldn't feel any broken ribs or signs of internal bleeding. Your grandfather should be fine."

Much to Shen's surprise, the boy turned away from him, sniffling. Tears fell from his face, turning the blackened dirt beneath them an even darker shade where they hit the ground. Pel was crying?

"Pel…?" Shen inquired softly. " _O'fa_ will be alright, don't worry," he stated with a smile on his face.

"B-but… _Fa'ir_ and _Emai_ …"

"What? Where are they? I will help as much as I can!"

The boy only sobbed harder.

"T-they were in front of us when it happened… that white flash of light… they protected Pel'anya and I…" the old man wheezed. "I'm sorry Pel… they are gone."

* * *

 _The Drakkengate - Noxus_

 _Darius_

Darius nodded approvingly at the vast fleet in front of him. He was standing on the dock that held his command ship, amongst dozens of warship class vessels, hundreds of support fire and troop carrier ships, and thousands of speed recon and scout ships. His army was nearly ready for the upcoming invasion. All they were waiting for was their gatebreaker, the person, or rather, the _thing_ that would lead the charge into Ionia. Sion, The Undead Juggernaut, who was once a great Noxian general not unlike Darius, even attaining status as the first Hand of Noxus. For reasons still unknown, after General Sion had choked the life out of Jarvan I, he was resurrected. Jericho Swain had only learned of Sion's existence shortly after the thwarting of Boram Darkwill, and saw the military potential Sion had.

Another roar, closer this time, followed by the anguished screams of some poor soldier who had probably wandered too close. Darius shook his head and sighed. He understood why even the former great Emperor Darkwill had ordered for Sion to be sealed away in his own grave; what the Undead Juggernaut had gained in near immortality, he had lost in his humanity. From what little coherent words that they could glean from him, it appeared as if Sion's mind is only driven by two things: the will to protect Noxus, and the will to slaughter anything that his insanity deems dangerous to Noxus. Hardly a _reliable_ weapon of war, Darius thought, but his strength and unwavering resolve as a result of his undeath is certainly a powerful morale booster for his troops, if nothing else. Darius had no idea how they were going to control their behemoth, but once unleashed on the battlefield, there was no telling what would be able to stand against his unstoppable onslaught. He hoped that for the sake of his soldiers' lives that Swain had a concrete plan that could deal with Sion somehow.

The ground beneath Darius' feet shook as the colossus approached from the main road leading up to the dock. Each footstep the monster took rattled the wooden planks beneath his feet, and it only intensified as Sion rounded the corner. The sight of the Undead Juggernaut would never get old, Darius thought.

Sion's undeath had warped his body considerably, most notably, his skin and body size. Sion didn't have a single hair on his body, and his skin had turned a pale, sickly gray, almost slate color. It reminded Darius of stone that just had the moss scraped off of it. Sion stood twice as tall as most men, towering over them like a gargoyle. It was all thick, corded muscle under the dead skin, rippling and coiling with strain against the huge chains that held him. Each of his arms was thicker than the torso of a stout soldier. The gaping mouth-like hole right under where Sion's solar plexus would be is a soul furnace; it kept him moving and barely conscious of his surroundings. The soul furnace spewed wicked red flames, the same color as his ember-like eyes, and intensified with Sion's rage. Finally, in place of his lower jaw was a part of Jarvan I's crown, warped and enlarged by the soul furnace to function properly as an actual jaw. The Undead Juggernaut was a terrifying sight to behold.

Darius could not help but smile. In a way, Sion made Darius' job as a general easier and more interesting at the same time. Normally, Darius would talk to his vanguard and steel their nerves, as they were usually the first to die in a charge. Now, all Darius had to do was unleash Sion, and he would do all the work for him. Jarvan I's crown moved, and Sion let out a bloodcurdling war cry.

"WHEN… DOES THE KILLING… START?!"

While the dozens of soldiers restraining Sion trembled along with any soldier who heard Sion speak, Darius' smile only widened. Even if there was no foolproof way to control Sion, if at all, at least it would be a joy to watch him kill Ionians and if unavoidable, Noxians. For the sake of Noxus of course.

* * *

 _White Cliffs Bay_

 _Jhin_

He inhaled deeply, the sharp, saline scent of seafoam and ocean tickling his sinuses. He enjoyed this smell a lot more than the putrid stench of Bilgewater ocean. It was clean and fresh, and helped clear his mind. It _invigorated_ him. Jhin took a step backwards as a small wave lapped at the jetty he was standing on, rocking his escape ship slightly. As much as he like the smell of Ionian seawater, it didn't mean it was sanitary in the slightest.

And he hated getting dirty.

The virtuoso was dressed in simple tattered rags (he made sure they were clean himself), and he made his facial muscles relax and contort in a way that someone who was looking at him as he did it wouldn't recognize him. It was an average face he had created based on all of his fellow prisoners. Not even Kusho would be able to recognize him. His disguises and con skills had only improved with time in prison, being able to have near unlimited practice and fun on the guards, who only saw him as a good-mannered artist. They simply could not believe that someone like him could be a killer! How foolish of them. He would show them masterpieces that they couldn't even dream of.

Jhin looked back at the direction from whence he came, smiling at the thought that his first piece and progressed so nicely to the finale. When he heard the telltale thumps of his lotus traps going off, he knew he had succeeded.

 _How lovely!_

He chucked in self satisfaction thinking about how much carnage must had bloomed as a result of him. No doubt, his old friends would _have_ to come out and play with him, just like old times!

 _How long has it been Jhin… five, six… no, a decade has passed since you've been able to experience this rush. Zed, Shen, Kusho and me… ah I have such fond memories of them. When I saw Shen and Zed rush out at the sound of my gun… the ecstasy of opening night!_

Jhin could barely contain himself. He physically had to grip his sides to keep his laugh in. While there weren't many people at the docks tonight, surely they would notice him and interrupt his next masterpiece. He couldn't have that now, could he? He had to take his time and plan carefully, or his fun with his old friends wouldn't last.

Jhin approached his ship, the _Water Lily_. How appropriately named for him he thought! _Water Lily_ was another name for lotus blossom, Jhin's favorite flower. Looking at the freshly painted and lacquered letters sprawled across the length of the hull in blood red stylised font, Jhin remembered his first encounter with the lotus blossom…

* * *

 _Zhyuun, unknown location_

 _Unspecified time_

" _Khada, you're going to get dirty playing in the pond like that. Finish up soon okay? Dinner is almost ready."_

 _Khada heard the chopping of wood nearby as his father swung the axe down, over and over. The sound intrigued him, and he wondered what it felt like to swing that axe. He was never allowed to touch the axe, for some reason. He didn't know why, and his father never gave him a concrete answer._

 _All around him the trees were nearly bare with the onset of Autumn, but the ponds surrounding his home were still teeming with life. Bugs both small and big swam in the water, entertaining Jhin for hours on end. In one such pond, a bit further from the small cabin he lived in, Jhin had learned to wade into the water and stay perfectly still. After some time, the insects would surface as if he wasn't even there. Jhin smiled at the little things, moving around in their own little world. A particularly curious water bug crawled onto a lotus leaf directly in front of Jhin, antennae jittering about. Delightedly, Jhin grabbed the bug. He didn't care that the rest of his friends swam away, he had been studying this one for close to an hour._

 _It squirmed in his hands, trying to break free of its captor. Jhin giggled as the spines of the bug tickled his palm. Now it was time to play. Placing the bug back down on on the lotus flower, Jhin pinned it down with one finger, making sure the bug couldn't escape. Then, with as much care as his clumsy hands could muster, he grabbed one of the insect's legs between his index finger and thumb. He pulled lightly, feeling the resistance as the bug struggled under his finger. Good. This was a strong bug. He wouldn't die as soon as the others had._

 _With a grin, Jhin began to pull the insect's legs off, one by one. How cute the thing looked when only the sockets of the insect's legs were wriggling instead of with it's legs!_

" _Jhin! What are you doing with that poor thing? Why can't you be like the other kids and draw or something? And c'mon, it's dinner time!"_

 _This_ _ **was**_ _his art, Jhin thought. Drawing was boring. At least this was exciting in some way. Why couldn't his mother appreciate his drawing like the other mothers at school?_

 _Jhin watched the water bug twitch as it tried to scuttle away with the one half-attached leg it had left. Oh well, maybe he would get to finish a masterpiece next time._

* * *

 **I apologize profusely for the lack of chapters lately. I've been busy with life and school, and I'm sure you've all heard of a certain free battle royale *cough* I don't play that game whenever I can *cough*. Anyways, I never want this story to seem rushed in any way, so I took my time and tried to make it flow as best as I can. Your reviews have been so helpful with planning the kind of stuff I put in future chapters. That's it from me though, I'll try and get these out quicker for you guys! As always, any feedback is greatly appreciated. Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter!**


	11. Chapter 11 - Something Wrong

**Dear faithful readers,**

 **First of all, I'd like to apologize for my absence. I've had something along the lines of a writer's block. I had things planned and I had a direction I wanted to go with the story, but I just lost most of that after the last few chapters. I wasn't sure if the gang consisting of Zed, Shen and Akali were ready for what I did have planned and that clashed with the urge to get the story going. That made me drop the story for awhile and to refresh myself over a couple months. I am back though. However, that is no excuse for not posting chapters or at least an update. I can't hope to make it up to those of you who are still waiting for more of our favorite edgy ninjas. With that, I hope you can enjoy what I have planned now. This chapter will be shorter than usual and I want to use it as a sort of reset to get the gears grinding again. I will also post lemons (if there are any) as a separate chapter and include a warning in the chapter title, as to make sure that those who are uncomfortable with lemons will still have a chance to enjoy the story. Thank you all for your patience.**

 _White Cliffs Bay_

 _Zed_

"Shen, she is ready to go with us."

Zed tried his best to keep the contempt out of his voice as he tried to reason with Shen whom, as always, tried to tell everyone else the "best way" to do things. This time, it was whether or not Akali was mentally prepared enough to go after Jhin.

After Shen tried to stop Akali and Zed brushed him off, Shen had wandered off. Zed assumed it was to try and catch Jhin's trail before it was too late, but from what Shen told him, he was helping people get back up on their feet around the Inn. He even saved the grandpa of a little boy named Pel'anya. That didn't help them stop Jhin though, Zed thought. Just as Zed and Akali were about to set off to find Jhin, Shen intercepted them, and now they're stuck here at the White Cliffs Bay, arguing.

"Zed, she is clearly not ready to pursue someone like Jhin. We've had training from Master Kusho himself and we still weren't ready."

"Well, what do you suppose we do then, just leave her here while we go look for him ourselves? Remember Shen, we need our _orders_ to do this. Just the three of us trying to seize Jhin by ourselves is going to give him all the time he needs to murder more people- Akali, where are you going?"

While Zed and Shen were distracted with each other, Akali had started to wordlessly walk away from them. Pausing, she turned her head slightly, as if amused at Zed's question.

"While you boys are sitting on your asses and wasting time, I thought I'd just go ahead and get the orders ready first. You guys take your time!"

With a wave of her hand, Akali walked briskly away from the inn. Zed shrugged and turned away from Shen, hiding his smile.

"You can control her anymore Shen. She's her own master now."

The quiet that followed felt _oh so_ good. Zed felt a strange sense of pride that Akali had walked out like that. Was it pride that he felt? Zed wasn't completely sure. It was clear however that Akali was ready to take this seriously, further proving his claim that Akali was indeed, ready to chase down Jhin.

"Shen, you know what you need to do now right?" Zed asked.

"Yeah. I know. It'll put me out of commission for awhile though, at least for combat."

What Zed was referring to could be considered one of Shen's greatest abilities. Shen called it " _Stand United."_ Using all of his spirit energy in one single action, Shen could teleport himself, along with a few others to a desired location in the mortal world via the Spirit Realm. Shen then would have to rest for a few days before he could use any of his abilities that required spirit energy.

Zed jogged ahead to find Akali. It wasn't too long until he saw her silhouette sitting at the edge of a pier, outlined by the full moon. She was focused intently at her reflection in the water.

"So are we gonna go back to the Kinkou first, or your order first?"

Zed blinked in surprise. "I didn't realize that my footsteps were so loud."

"They weren't. I'm just that good. You didn't answer my question."

Zed sat down next to Akali, dangling his feet over the edge of the damp wood. "We should head back to the Kinkou first. It would be faster for you and Shen to prepare at a familiar place first."

Out of the corner of his eye, Zed watched as Akali looked up from her reflection. The pale moonlight dragged shadows across her features, making her look much older than she actually was. Without looking at Zed, Akali opened her mouth.

"Zed… what's it like to kill someone?"

"Huh? Do you mean like… remorselessly?"

She nodded in response.

Zed paused to think. When was the last time he actually killed someone because he just wanted to? Or the last time he killed someone for his order for that matter?

"When I first started killing… it felt like it was for a purpose. It was almost as if the people I killed weren't people, they were just a means to an end. It's not that I didn't want to acknowledge them as human beings. I just… didn't. And even if I did, I think I would have thought that they were fulfilling some greater purpose that _I_ had created for them. After a long time of that… a certain part of you goes with them."

It was Zed's turn to look at his reflection in the water. Unobscured by the mask, he saw the dark lines under his eyes, his pale complexion, the shadows cast on his face made him look like a ghost. He looked like a shadow. When Akali finally spoke, her voice was harsh and had an edge that Zed thought could cut into his soul.

"You were no different than Jhin, you know?"

Every muscle in Zed's body tensed. Did Akali just…?

" No… you make it sound like you made up an excuse to kill. That's even worse than Jhin, Zed. Whether or not you regret killing them doesn't excuse the fact that you killed them for your own selfish desires."

Akali's words swam in Zed's head, into his eyes, eventually dropping into the water below. The ripples distorted Zed's reflection into something unrecognizable. He didn't notice Akali get up. He barely heard her speak.

"Let's go. Jhin's not gonna catch himself."

 _It felt like a huge weight on my shoulders… each time I killed it felt like a mountain fell onto me._

He wanted to say it. More than anything he wanted to tell Akali, but he couldn't form the words in his chest. They formed knots in his throat that refused to untangle. He hated that he couldn't speak at that moment.

Rubbing his eyes, he mustered a gruff "Alright…"

* * *

 _White Cliffs Bay_

 _Akali_

Akali wasn't sure anymore.

The time they spent travelling across Ionia together, the very obvious regret he held for murdering innocent people, even the Winter Festival. His promise to take down the Kashuri Armory when they brought justice to Jhin. _If_ they could find him. Her father's killer.

Zed was so many things, but Akali just wasn't sure anymore. There was no time to think or contemplate what she had learned about him in the past weeks and months, nor could she simply accept who he was. Jhin was on the loose, with the possibility that he was working Noxians. They had to act, _now_.

"I am ready when you two are."

Shen's voice brought her out of her thoughts. They were standing in a circle, all facing each other. The trees around them rustled with the breeze, as if anticipating the upcoming surge of spirit energy. Shen was going to use _Stand United_.

With all of their gear on, Akali couldn't see the expressions on either of their faces. Only the glint of metal from their masks. However, she didn't need to see their faces to feel the tension in the air. The looming threat of Jhin and Noxus, the massacre at the White Cliffs Inn, and the stress of their travels.

 _Was it like this with Master Kusho as well? The intense pressure, death all around us. Chaos. The curtain of the Golden Demon threatening to close on everything around me._

"Let's go. I'm as ready as I can be," urged Zed. "I could use a change of scenery. His words reflected what was on all of their minds at the moment.

"Alright. Zed, Akali, you two know the drill. Take my hand, and may the spirits guide and protect us."

Akali took Shen's hand, then Zed's. Zed's grip felt much tighter than it needed to be, but Akali made no remark. He was probably angry at her for earlier, but she didn't care right now. She was bracing herself to feel the cold winds of the Kinkou Monastery at any moment.

"Together," Shen started. Akali felt something buzz along the arm that held Shen's hand. It felt similar to hitting her ulnar nerve against something, and it spread across her body, eventually making its way to her hand that was holding Zed's. It was unpleasant to say the least.

Shen continued, his voice now a roar in her ears.

"WE STAND UNITED!"

Purple energy both crackled and flowed across their bodies. It lifted them into the air and surged brightly.

 _Something's not right_.

Akali had her eyes closed, but she heard Zed shout something, but it was drowned out by the rumble of raw spirit energy. She felt a sharp pain in her side as she opened her eyes. Then, everything went dark


	12. Chapter 12 - Wanderer

_Chapter 12_

* * *

 _White Cliffs Inn_

 _Talon_

 _I'm sure that the blade reached her in time._

Talon stood at the edge of a small clearing, feeling the tips of his extremities vibrate with energy. He had been tasked by General Darius to find and tail three certain ninja for as long as possible, and the past few moments had been as last second as he could get. They had been warped away by some form of spectral energy and were now nowhere to be seen.

He had first caught their trail at the Winter Festival, witnessing what he thought was a comical excuse for a disguise. If the _lovely_ duo of Zed and Akali knew they were being followed, they would not have stayed the night in one of the busiest junctions of traffic in Ionia. Anywhere there was condensed terrain was Talon's specialty. He would even venture to say that his mastery over "Assassin's Path" was greater than Du Couteau's. Assassin's Path was way of moving through a specific area in the fastest, most efficient way possible, often taking risks like jumping from building to building, but could make traveling through crowded or dense areas exponentially faster than on the ground. Talon was able to easily follow them continuously until they reached the White Cliffs Inn. It was almost too easy up until this point, but now? How was he going to follow them

Talon scanned the surrounding area one last time, seeing nothing but tallgrass and the occasional soft glow of bioluminescence. Safe. He made his way to the center of the clearing, where his targets were mere moments ago. The remaining spirit energy fizzled away, leaving only the morning breeze in its place. No evidence of them ever being there, nor anything pointing to where they could have gone.

Talon sighed. What would he say to Darius when the time came for his monthly report? It wasn't so much that Darius wouldn't believe that they all just disappeared to gods know where. It was that Darius was the kind of man to _expect_ Talon to follow them. Wherever that was. Talon was an experienced assassin however, and an equally talented strategist. He deduced that from their behavior and how they reacted to Jhin's massacre that they were probably going to regroup and finally amass their followers. It didn't take a genius to figure out that they were pushed to action by the recent events.

The problem now was to figure out which order they had gone to. He hoped that it was the Kinkou and not the Order of Shadow. While elusive and hard to reach, the Kinkou weren't hidden from the public. The Order of Shadow on the other hand was a different beast to find altogether. As he thought about how to approach this dilemma, a glint in the grass caught his attention, near the center of the clearing. Could it be…?

The curl forming on the corner of his lips wouldn't be noticeable to a passerby. As he approached the object, his smirk turned into a smile. With this, he'd be able to find them even if they were across the continent of Ionia There lying in the middle of the grass was half of a tri-tipped dagger, warped into oblivion by magic, but staining it's silver surface was the unmistakable crimson of blood.

* * *

 _?_

 _Akali_

 _Red. Deep, crimson red. A dull throbbing._

 _What is that? It kinda hurts. That's annoying…_

 _Where am I anyways? It's dark, so dark…_

 _Last thing I remember… what was it? Ow… that hurts…_

 _Oh, I was with Shen… and Zed… we were going to… to the Kinkou? Yeah…_

 _Damn… that really hurts… it really… really… hurts…_

 _It's getting darker… somehow…_

 _Dark… so dark..._

* * *

 _?_

 _Zed_

 _Something is wrong._

Zed tried to open his eyes and was met with darkness.

 _Blindfolded…? No._

He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to clear the fog in his head. He felt as if he had been asleep for a long time. Opening his eyes again, he realized that it was not complete darkness; he could make out the outlines of things, as well as something blocking roughly half of his peripheral.

 _The ground._

Zed groaned as he tried to pick himself up. Every muscle and joint in his body complained with any command he gave them. On top of that, a headache was beginning to ring in his head.

"Fuck…"

 _What happened? The last thing I remember is… we were going to use Shen's Stand United… oh no…_

Realization dawned on him as he bolted upright, ignoring the screaming of his muscles.

"Akali!"

He turned around, trying to make out the vague shapes that surrounded him. It appeared to be night time, with the appearance of a moon peeking over the shadows confirming the time. Zed's eyes could finally start making out details in the darkness, and he adjusted to the dim moonlight that pooled in certain areas in the distance and on the ground.

"Akali!" he repeated. Not even an echo.

His voice, already dry and hoarse, cracked as he tried to yell.

"Aka- Akali! Answer me if you're here!"

Zed had barely seen what had happened right before they were supposed to teleport to the Kinkou, but he remembered every part vividly now. The cloaked figure that emerged from the brush moments before he lost consciousness, dark eyes beneath the silver rimmed hood. The undeniable flash of steel whirling through the air. He had opened his mouth to warn Akali, but it was too late.

Taking a deep breath, he called out with all the strength he could muster at the moment.

"AKALI!"

Silence.

He waited as the silence dragged on.

Then, the breeze came, and with it, sounds of . Seemingly from nowhere, a humid, sweltering wind blasted into Zed. Stumbling back, Zed shielded his eyes from the debris that the wind kicked up.

He felt something cold and sharp press against his throat. A heavily accented voice declared from in front of him, "State your provenance and intent, intruder. Outsiders are not welcome in the land if Ixaocan!"

He was suddenly surrounded by spears and razor sharp edges of weapons that he'd never seen before.

"The land of what?"

* * *

 _?_

 _Akali_

Akali woke to the warm feeling of the sun on her skin and the chirps of birds.

 _Where…?_

She opened her eyes and found herself looking up at a brownish-red ceiling, reminiscent of terracotta. She followed the dark wooden support beams that ran across her peripheral and found herself looking at a bright spot on the wall. She realized that the bright spot was a beam of golden sunlight shining through a cloth drape, covering what she assumed was an opening in the wall.

Upon turning her head in the other direction, she found herself in a quaint little room. She was lying on a small, plainly dressed bed tucked in the corner of the room, leaving some space for an equally plain cabinet adjacent to the head of the bed. Upon the cabinet lay her mask and-

And her clothes!

Akali tried to sit up, but was met with an intense, burning pain in her side.

 _Gods that fucking hurts…_

A sweat broke out over her body as she craned her neck, trying to locate the source of the pain. Past her bosom she saw that her hand was stained red with her own blood. Cursing under breath, she gingerly used her arms to get into some sort of sitting position. Instant regret filled her almost as fast as the nausea did, and she doubled over in pain.

"Fuck!"

She sat on the edge of the bed cradling her side for awhile, clenching her jaw against the desire to gag as the pain radiated in waves through her body. It didn't seem to pass with time, and almost seemed to be getting worse by the minute. She opened her eyes slowly, noticing for the first time that she wasn't naked, but bandaged with cloth across her chest and midriff, across her crotch and thighs.

Suddenly, the world tilted and careened in her vision and she closed her eyes again. She lurched forward, retching onto the floor.

"Oh gods…" she moaned in disgust. Her stomach heaved again, but there was nothing left to hurl.

Very slowly, Akali eased herself back onto the bed. Trying to ignore the rancid taste of bile in her mouth, the pounding headache that had started, and the ever present throb in her side, she eventually drifted off into a fitful state, not quite awake and not quite asleep.

* * *

" _Be wary Akali."_

 _Fa'ir… Is that you?_

 _ **Shhk shhk**_

 _ **Shhk shhk**_

" _Be wary of those you trust my dyeda. Things that lurk in the shadows are not always evil, and the breeze that blows may not always bring warmth and prosperity. Be wary Akali. Winds of change are coming."_

 _Fa'ir! Wait, please don't leave yet… there is so much I need to ask of you. A-and what are you talking about? Shadows… are you talking about Zed? And what of wind?_

 _ **Shhk shhk**_

" _My dear Akali, know that your father will always love you. The meaning of my words will reveal themselves soon enough. You are still young. Please be careful my young one. One does not interfere with a fight between a lion and a dire wolf without the cover of shadows and the wind on your side."_

 _Father wait!_

" _I love you Akali, I will do everything in my power to keep you safe dyeda. You must go now, this is not your natural place. You still belong to Ionia…"_

 _ **SHHK SHHK**_

Akali woke with a start. She stared at the ceiling, trying to comprehend what she had just heard. Was that really her father from the Spirit World? And if it was, then why talk to her now?

 _ **SHHK SHHK**_

And what was that sound? It forced her mind away from the cryptic dream she just had and seemed to be very close. She turned her head slowly to her right and found herself looking at… a person? It seemed to be a man on his knees, facing away from her. From what she could see, he was wearing a scarf-like garment around his neck and shoulders, obscuring the sides of his face. The scarf had whorls stitched into the frayed edges, mimicking what appeared to be clouds. His midsection was exposed, revealing the back of a man who has worked physical labor before. Strong and wide. His loose, baggy pants held up by some sort of pouch continued the same pattern of swirls around the waistband. Most notable however, was the long, flowing black hair that was tied up in the back, further emphasizing the now obvious cloud theme.

 _ **Shhk shhk**_

So that was the sound. He had a wooden tub next by his side and was scrubbing the floor with a bristled sponge. Akali continued to watch the stranger with wary eyes, but for some reason, she felt calm… almost relaxed by the constant sound of scrubbing, the flickering of a flame inside the lantern that sat beside the man, and the crackling of what sounded like a fireplace coming from another room. It was then that she realized; it was night time.

Shifting slightly onto her side, Akali winced at the throb of pain coming from her right side.

 _Shit… I remember… I woke up and I made a mess of myself. Still, the pain now isn't nearly as bad as it was before._

Despite the pain, Akali managed to start pushing herself up onto her elbow.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. Your balance system hasn't quite righted itself yet, so unless you want to experience losing the contents of your stomach again, I suggest lying back down."

Akali didn't need another reminder. She opened her mouth to speak and realized that her mouth was very dry, and no sound came from her hoarse throat.

"Water is in the cup on the cabinet to your right, but I will get it. And I'll answer all of your questions to the best of my ability _after_ you've had water. You're lucky you weren't awake to experience some of the trauma your body's gone through."

Akali nodded and waited until the man put the sponge aside and stood up. In the dim light of the lantern, she could make out the angles of the stranger's face. He turned, allowing Akali to get a better look at his face. The traces of a beard on his jawline and the hint of a good sized scar running horizontally across the bridge of his nose. Sharp eyebrows, sharper eyes. Akali couldn't tell in with the lantern light though. Picking up the small cup, the man brought it to Akali's lips, tilting it slowly towards her. She pulled away from instinct, shaking her head slightly. What if it wasn't really water in the cup?

"It's not poisoned, but I can understand your apprehension. You're severely dehydrated. Drink."

Akali stared defiantly at the man, but gave quickly in to thirst. She could tell that her body needed it badly, and she was in no shape to fight back against the stranger. What else could she do? And if the man wanted her dead, she probably wouldn't be awake right now.

Still, she was tentative. She nodded slowly at the man, parting her cracked lips slightly. He brought the cup to her lips and she sipped. It was water. Cool, refreshing, delicious water. It flowed over her parched tongue, rejuvenating her ever so slightly. The man tilted the cup back, eliciting a croak from Akali.

"N-n… no…"

"Slowly now. Your stomach hasn't had water in days. Give it some time to acclimate."

It was distressing, almost torturous to not take the water herself, but she couldn't have done it if she tried. She nodded again at the man and waited patiently for a few minutes before he brought the cup to her lips again. She drank gratefully.

"Good. Can you speak now?"

"Yeah… I-I think so…" Akali whispered.

"Very well." He sighed and sat on the ground, legs crossed. "Ask, and I will answer if I can. I'm sure you're curious about your whereabouts so I'll clear that up first."

To that, Akali nodded again.

"You are in eastern Ionia, specifically somewhere in the forests of Shon-Xan province. You are in my home right now, next to the lower Shon-Xan river. As to how you got here, I'm not entirely sure myself. I was fishing at river when I heard a commotion nearby. Normally I wouldn't bother to check something like that out, but I felt something odd in the air, almost like crackling electricity. I found you unconscious and bleeding out from that wound in your side."

Akali brought her hand to her right side, feeling the bandages that covered her supposed wound.

"You… helped bandage me?"

He responded with a solemn nod.

"But… Why?"

"I _am_ a fellow Ionian after all, I think it's in my best interest to help one of our own, especially in these times."

Akali thought she could see his eyes grow distant for a split second before focusing back onto her.

"Wait, how do you know I'm Ionian?" Akali asked, still not fully convinced of the man's apparent good intentions. "How do you know I'm not a Noxian spy… or a Piltoveran diplomat?"

"Well…" he started, then pointed at her neatly folded clothes resting on the cabinet. "I know for a fact that those are made of true Ionian weave, and made in such a way that it would be impossible for Noxians and Piltover's alike to obtain. It's of exquisite quality… I assume it was handmade by someone close to you?"

Akali neither confirmed nor denied his inference. The implications of how her clothes got to that bedside cabinet suddenly flooded her mind. Her hands subconsciously roamed to her chest.

"Y-you've… my clothes… I'm bandaged over… so you saw…"

The man raised an eyebrow in… amusement? Annoyance? Akali couldn't tell.

"What else could I have done? Leave your dirty clothes on and risk infection? Would you rather I see you without clothes and be here now or I leave your clothes on and you're still where I found you. With the spirits."

"Well… when you put it that way… That still doesn't give you the right to do anything to me! I could have taken care of myself." Inwardly, Akali cursed the roughness of her voice and how quiet she sounded. She was, in reality, indignant, slightly offended, and screaming inside. She was getting babied and pampered in bed, and by a stranger no less! She had gotten carried away by the strange situation but now, she was fully awake.

"You were poisoned, by this."

He procured a leather-wrapped object from the pouch at his hip, carefully placing it on his lap.

"It was imbedded very close to your liver. You were lucky it didn't come into contact with any vital organs, or I wouldn't have been able to help you at all."

He tugged at the string holding the leather together, and inside was a chunk of metal, half of which was a sharp edge covered in what Akali assumed was her dried blood. The other half was warped and mangled, turning the surface of the metal into what could only be described as alien.

"Like I said-" Akali paused to clear her throat. "I can take care of myself."

Using her arms for support, Akali mustered all of her strength and _sat upright_. The pain seared in her side, but she paid no mind to it. She felt her wound bleed in burning protest, but she didn't really care. Through the sheen of sweat that coated her face, through the huffing and gasping from the exertion, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and planted them firmly on the floor and slowly, unsteadily stood up.

"Hey did you hear a single word I said? You're in no way shape or form-"

The man was cut off by Akali's glare, from under her unkempt, untied hair. She gazed at him with a ferocity normally reserved for wild beasts of lore, and at that moment, Akali declared, "My name is Akali, a rogue assassin, and I don't need anyone's help getting _anything_ done."

The man was taken aback by the bold clarity with which she spoke, and nodded his head in sincere apology. "I apologize Akali, I just did what my instincts tell me to do when something around me is hurt or dying, but I now see that this was not needed in your case."

Akali finally nodded. "Now you know who I am. Who are you?"

"Who I am?" The man broke away from Akali's fiery stare. "Who am I… I'm not sure there's a single answer I could give to you that you'd be satisfied with. Many call me a drunk, shameless lecher who plagues the streets and forests of Ionia. Many more yet called me a traitor, a murder… and so much more…"

"But if it's my name you're looking for, it's Yasuo, a… wanderer, you could say."


End file.
